The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) has launched its “Management Guide on the Perioperative Care of Patients with Vascular Disease,” a multidisciplinary resource for care of patients with vascular disease who require an intervention.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists, the Society for Vascular Medicine and the Society for Vascular Nursing all helped develop the guide, supported through an unrestricted educational grant from Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
The resource provides information on the medical and non-medical management of vascular patients in the perioperative period: 1) 30 to 90 days before intervention, 2) during the intervention, and 3) 30 to 90 days post-intervention.
With mobile-responsive design and easy, intuitive navigation, it is ideal for on-the-go use by busy members of the entire vascular team, from trainees, to surgeons, anesthesiologists, internists, vascular nurses and allied health members.
It covers the procedures and conditions that encompass the most common vascular disorders. Each section outlines factors for each stage. Pre-operative care for abdominal non-aortic pathology, for example, lists such factors as patient history, including specific elements to assess for certain conditions; physical examination; imaging; medical management and lifestyle changes; risk stratification and risk assessment; preoperative lab tests recommended; and medication adjustments to make prior to intervention.
The guide then provides similarly detailed information and recommended steps for the intraoperative and postoperative phases.
To develop the guide, the SVS brought together experts who represent key members of the perioperative team, including vascular surgeons, anesthesiologists, vascular medicine specialists, vascular nurses and physician assistants. “We don’t intend that this new guide replace any of the documents and protocols or local practices,” said Rabih Chaer, MD, chair of the authoring group.
Instead, as stated in the guide’s introduction, “It provides guidance that can be used by individual institutions to build their own perioperative management protocols and design educational programming, and complements the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines that the SVS is developing. The document will help facilities address comorbidities and other risk factors that can affect postoperative outcomes and reduce the use of redundant and/or unnecessary tests.”
It’s more of a complete 360-degree view of the care of patients who need a vascular intervention, involving all aspects and all team members involved in that care, he said. “The procedure is important, of course,” he said. “But all aspects of perioperative care—from medication compliance to follow-up care—are critical to ensure successful outcomes. This is one of our first official resources that articulates the entire patient experience.”
View the guide, which also includes conclusions, the definitions of approximately 125 terms from abdominal aortic aneurysm to Vitamin-K antagonist, and more than 160 references, at vascular.org/PMG. Users can also download the guide at the site.
