Vascular surgeons in the Vienna clinics are involved in the treatment and surgery of large vessels for patients with the following diseases: arterial, venous and lymphatic (except intracranial and coronary) arteries. Vascular surgery is recommended when a patient is suffering from vascular diseases of arteries and veins that cannot be cured by less invasive surgery or non-surgical treatment techniques.
Arterial diseases are a condition in which blood clots, plaques/ atherosclerosis clots form on the walls of the arteries. Venous diseases involve problems that occur in the veins. Some vascular diseases occur only in the arteries, others are found only in the veins, and some affect both the veins and the arteries.
Vascular surgery is closely related to other branches of medicine. It is often the case that several doctors are involved in the treatment of one patient and that the operation is performed by two or even three surgeons of different specialties.
The related branches of medicine are:
According to medical statistics, endovascular surgeries on peripheral vessels are most frequently performed. The following are the indications for the operation:
Aneurysms occur when the walls of blood vessels are weakened, and there are bulges on them, like balloons, and the blood flows through them. As soon as they reach a certain size, there is a risk of rupture and life-threatening bleeding. There are two types of aortic aneurysms: abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and thoracic aortic aneurysm. Abdominal aortic aneurysms are more frequent than thoracic aneurysms.
Lymphatic obstruction such as blockages of lymph vessels, lymphedema and lymphostasis is a pathological condition that is associated with increasing swelling of soft tissues in the affected area as a result of disturbed lymphatic outflow.
The operation itself may restore the damaged blood vessel or create a bypass for the blood flow. Patients suffering from severe thrombosis and obstruction of the veins need to undergo surgery to restore the blood flow. Failure to undergo surgery may result in amputation of the limb or other serious consequences.
The choice of a treatment technique is made on a case-by-case basis after obtaining the results of all the necessary examinations and consulting with all the related specialists of the clinic. Whenever possible, a minimally traumatic minimally invasive approach, endovascular surgery, is given preference. The technique of performing interventions is constantly being improved: traditional approaches are being improved, new procedures are being developed and put into practice.
Interdisciplinary collaboration involving angiologists, vascular surgeons and radiologists contributes to the successful combination of various invasive techniques and techniques in vascular surgery. Neuropathologists, oncologists, orthopedists and physiotherapists are also actively involved in patient management when there is a need for it.
Doctors who work in the vascular centers in Vienna perform stenting of the arteries, combined surgical interventions using a balloon catheter (PTA) to widen the blood vessels of the pelvis with plasty dilatation of the femoral artery with stenosis (the so-called “profundoplasty”), stripping, ligation and sclerosis of varicose veins of the extremities, miniphlebectomy and transluminal phlebectomy are performed in case of varicose veins, or endoscopic techniques or classical methods are used to eliminate aortic and other large vessels aneurysmal protrusions. They also carry out surgical interventions on vertebral arteries, upper limb vessels, renal arteries, etc.
In those cases when a major operation is unavoidable, the intensive care units equipped with ultramodern equipment and, of course, highly qualified anesthesiologists with extensive experience in the field of vascular medicine are of great help.
In addition, in Vienna, patients are provided with excellent rehabilitation centers that specialize in vascular pathology, where competent and attentive staff make every effort to ensure that the rehabilitation process is carried out with maximum efficiency and comfort.
