Future challenges for vascular surgeons

This study looked at whether our minimally invasive procedures are associated with decreased readmission, versus our open ones with peripheral arterial work. They looked at what made people come back in the hospital, and it doesn’t look like it’s the procedure. It’s the patient. We’ve seen this in many other diseases. It’s the frailty and the inability of the patients to take care of themselves at home that gets them back. In this study, risk factors are male gender, sepsis, longer hospital stay, elevated liver enzymes, and increased medication use.

That’s a snapshot of what I see of our issues, making sure we have outcomes registries, continuing prospective randomized trials, basic science research, and if you are using new devices, comparing them to know whether they’re better, or at least as good as current ones. As we go forward, we will have to prove those things. I am confident that we will face whatever challenges happen with good data and excellent care for our patients.

Dr. Freischlag is the SVS President. Her comments were edited and condensed by Natalia Glebova, MD, from a presentation at the Northwestern Vascular Symposium in December 2013.