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A proposal to save vascular surgery
In response to recent articles in the lay press suggesting vascular surgeons were performing unnecessary procedures, Vascular Specialist medical editor, Malachi Sheahan, has asked me to write an editorial based on a talk I presented at the 2023 VEITHsymposium. At…
How the best leaders ensure psychological safety at work
My limited understanding of psychological safety is when people feel safe expressing differing opinions, and thoughts in the workplace. Amy Edmondson, a pioneer in this area, defines it as “the belief that the environment is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.”1 Although…
Less vain and more vein: Evaluating the perceptions of venous disease amongst the vascular surgery community
Our biases permeate the fabric of our very being, as they weave their way into our training and practice. It is clear that complex aortic work is definitely in vogue and “in,” and, well… treating veins gets a bad rap.…
Can you count the ‘monkeys’ on your back?
Periodically, when under pressure at work, and sometimes at home, I would think about what I could do to free up more time for myself and the family. How I could prioritize or drop tasks that were unimportant. There were…
From the editor: Sex, lies, and carotid stents
First, a disclaimer. This commentary is woefully short of sex-related content. Not even the wholesome gender-based outcomes stuff. So, if that key term brought your internet search here, feel free to press on with your illicit journeys my friend. Now,…
Expiation, Karl Wallenda, Oppenheimer and us
On March 22, 1978, Karl Wallenda went up on a high wire in Puerto Rico strung between two high-rise buildings. There was no safety net. The winds were blowing hard. A crowd was massed below, awaiting the event. As a…
The price of a cup of coffee
In the wake of the coverage of inappropriate vascular interventions in the mainstream press, guest editorialist Adam Tanious, MD, tackles the thorny issue of interactions with industry “reps”—particularly among younger surgeons. Many of us in the surgical community have had…
The Golden Larva syndrome: Is it real?
Failure is part of the process that leads to success. Occasional failures may sting but we must recognize the adage that failure is a “bruise, not a tattoo.” I knew a mid-career faculty member some years ago who was rapidly…
BEST-CLI vs. BASIL-2: Different questions yield different answers
Medical editor Malachi Sheahan III, MD, takes a look at seemingly conflicting results from the landmark BEST-CLI and BASIL-2 trials, and asks what they really reveal. This past April, BASIL-2 chief investigator Andrew Bradbury, MD, presented trial results at the…
We can honor the past without living in it
Malachi Sheahan III, MD, peels back the layers on why a decision by the Southern Association for Vascular Surgery (SAVS) to replace its signature emblem is the right one. Imagine you are considering moving to a country where you will…