The SVS has announced the launch of the SVS Member Affinity Program, expanding member benefits to eventually provide products and services to assist members...
At the end of my junior surgical residency years, I was in a pretty bad physical and mental space. With resident coverage shortages, long...
For SVS members, every month is PAD month. But with September PAD Awareness Month, it's a good time to remind members that SVS offers...
By helping to formulate the new NHLBI Strategic Vision, the SVS successfully advocated for prioritization of disease processes which challenge vascular surgeons. “With continued...
The 2016 SVS Foundation Annual Appeal is underway, with donations sought to fund the research that leads to breakthroughs that ultimately will improve patient...
A surveillance project to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) in comparison with carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is being launched by...
SVS member Dr. Spence M. Taylor has been elected vice chair of the American Board of Surgery for 2017-18. He will serve as chair...
All SVS members may submit proposals for invited sessions for the 2017 Vascular Annual Meeting, set for May 31 to June 3 (plenaries and...
Just in time for the September recertification exam! Recordings of the 2015 Comprehensive Vascular Review Course are available for purchase. The 2015 intensive two-day...
SVS members who are researchers and clinicians have an opportunity to win $5,000 for study hypotheses in cardiovascular research.
The American Heart Association and...
The continued use of perioperative clopidogrel is appropriate
Surgeons have always worried about bleeding risks for procedures we do. Complex vascular procedures are further complicated...
Progress in the development of new oral anticoagulants (NOACs), as well as agents for their reversal, has lowered the threshold to use these therapeutics...
The incidence of vascular diseases is steadily increasing because of an aging population. Vascular surgery is the only specialty that can offer all modalities...
The editors of the Journal of Vascular Surgery Publications are seeking nominations, including self-nominations, for multiple editorial positions. All applicants must be active or...
SVS members now have access to the first-ever reporting standards for thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), published in the September issue (online) at the Journal...
All young physicians are adept at using electronic medical records. Do you agree? If so, you’d be wrong. It’s true that young, so-called “digital-native”...
The 2016 Vascular Annual Meeting photos are now available in our Flickr albums.
Since there were thousands and thousands of photos (we couldn’t even count...
The SVS Executive Committee, at its July retreat, approved the appointment of the chair of the SVS Community Practice Committee (currently Dr. Richard Lynn)...
Want to re-visit the 2016 Vascular Annual Meeting, or view it for the first time?
The VAM On-Demand Library includes a wealth of useful information:...
Look ahead to next summer, and be sure to save the dates of May 31 to June 3 for the 2017 Vascular Annual Meeting....
Still haven’t claimed CME or MOC credits from the Vascular Annual Meeting?
Access the CME site via the 2016 VAM app or by visiting www.vsweb.org/ClaimCME....
Even though the use of arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) is considered optimal for hemodialysis access in patients with end-stage renal disease, outcomes for AVF are...
Welcome to the Capitol of the USA! More than 100 attendees at the 2016 Vascular Annual Meeting hail from overseas, coming to the nation’s...
National Harbor is a gateway port to Washington, D.C., situated just across the Potomac. For things to see and do while at the Vascular...
At the Vascular Annual Meeting, there’s no need to cart around a lot of paper. Instead, the Mobile App puts all the information you...
On behalf of the SVS Publications Committee I am delighted to announce the appointment of Malachi Sheahan, III, M.D., as Associate Medical Editor of...
To encourage adoption of the recent diabetic foot guideline, SVS has created a new educatonal slide set for members to use in their presentations.
The...
Registration is open for the “First Annual UCLA/SVS Symposium: A Comprehensive Review and Update of What’s New in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery.”
The course will...
The SVS Foundation has announced a new award opportunity, the Research Career Development Travel Awards, designed to support early-career vascular surgeons with an interest...
Endovascular treatments are the focus
The Society for Vascular Surgery has released new reporting standards focused on endovascular treatment of chronic lower extremity peripheral artery...
The Society for Vascular Surgery and the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at University of California Los Angeles have merged their board review...
This edition of Vascular Specialist is being published early to coincide with the VAM. Since medical students will be attending the meeting I thought...
The Coding & Reimbursement for Vascular Surgeons Workshop will be held October 21-22, 2016 at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel in Chicago.
Vascular surgeons and their...
The Society for Vascular Surgery’s highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, was presented during the Vascular Annual Meeting to Dr. Jack Cronenwett.
This honor recognizes...
At a time when therapeutics is emphasizing personalized therapy, it is reassuring that someone is interested in the big picture. Treating a single patient...
We understand membership applicants are anxious for a decision!
Check your mailbox. All those who submitted applications to be members of SVS will receive a...
At the Vascular Annual Meeting last week, members voted on new officers and approved selection of new members of the Board of Directors.
Officers elected...
Check out the June issue of Vascular Specialist now online in our enhanced digital edition and standard PDF. This month includes stories on vascular...
Julie Ann Freischlag, MD, FACS, vice-chancellor for human health sciences; dean, University of California (UC) Davis School of Medicine; and Past-Chair, American College of...
For individual stories every day and to see the complete daily issues of Vascular Connections, the official on-site newspaper of the Vascular Annual Meeting,...
“Vascular surgeons are unique in the management of patients with circulatory disease. We are unique because we are exclusively devoted, 100% of our specialty,...
On Wednesday morning, the Society for Vascular Surgery bumped into SVS Past President Dr. Peter Gloviczki. Here’s what we learned about one of our...
Dr. Michael Conte issued an urgent call Thursday for vascular surgeons to enroll patients in the BEST-CLI Trial, designed to answer this question: What’s...
“In a follow-up to Peter Lawrence’s Presidential Address last year about appropriateness of care, I have selected the topic ‘In Search of Clarity –...
Beyond the Plenary Sessions and scientific abstract presentations, there were many exciting events in which to participate and presentations to attend throughout the Vascular...
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner is called many things by his many nominators: quadruple hitter, visionary, mentor, revolutionary, unsurpassed, profoundly effective. But one...
Has the advent of branched-fenestrated aortic endografts increased the number of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repairs due to patients who otherwise would not be...
Practical tips for protecting your vascular surgery patients and yourselves from radiation exposure will be featured as part of this morning’s session “Radiation Safety...
First, combine a Washington, D.C. venue and an upcoming and hotly debated presidential election. Add a date shortly before the GOP and Democratic national...
Dr. Bruce Perler, Johns Hopkins Hospital, will give his SVS Presidential Address Friday after a short introduction by President-Elect Dr. Ronald Fairman.
Friday: 11 a.m....
There’s no Ferris Wheel or tilt-a-whirl at this fair – just useful information on 73 vascular training programs and the chance for aspiring vascular...
Special activities are everywhere today at the Vascular Annual Meeting, including the official welcome and an opening reception, not to mention the opening of...
Thursday’s lineup includes special lectures and invited speakers, including:
John Homans Lecture, 10 to 10:30 a.m., Potomac Ballroom A/B. Dr. Frank Veith will take “A...
The United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) in England has invited around 1.3 million 65-year-old men for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening since 2009....
Dr. Jeffrey Siracuse will report on the study he and his colleagues performed to analyze practice patterns and outcomes from endovascular treatment of the...
Higher hospital and surgeon volumes have been found to be correlated with improved outcomes after open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). However, the...
Two tools – the Vascular Annual Meeting Mobile App and the Meeting Itinerary Planner – will make VAM 2016 a user-friendly experience.
The App
The...
Exhibits, speakers, plenaries, hands-on sessions. Networking, dinner with friends, alumni receptions, the Capitol Steps comedy act. All this and much more is on tap...
It’s a chance to:
• Meet the man who will be president (of SVS, of course)!
• Learn ways to become involved with SVS, and reap...
The Vascular Annual Meeting – affectionately known as VAM – is in little over a week. For those who haven’t registered yet, what are...
Vascular surgery fellow case logs reflect an increase in endovascular interventions, but general surgery residents may be missing out on training opportunities, according to...
A few years ago I accepted an offer to work in a small community hospital. It was the only medical facility in a small...
When in D.C., well, pay attention to politics! Especially in an election year ...
Attendees at the Vascular Annual Meeting will be treated to a...
Up to four $5,000 scholarships to attend the 2017 Vascular Annual Meeting in San Diego are available to qualified young vascular surgeons living outside...
When meeting near Washington, D.C., meeting with members of Congress is a natural choice.
US Capitol dome
The SVS Political Action Committee Reception will be held...
Beyond learning what’s new in the world of vascular surgery, paid physicians also can earn both Continuing Medical Education credits and Maintenance of Certification...
Vascular Annual Meeting attendees are invited to the satellite symposia offered by industry, including three breakfast sessions on Thursday, June 9. These sessions are...
The 2016 Vascular Annual Meeting is offering six postgraduate courses on Wednesday, with two held concurrently in three time slots. SVS members get in...
Vascular surgery has a rich, varied and enormously interesting history, filled with innovators and creators whose inventions changed the course of patient care. This...
Wednesday, June 8
6:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Registration
7:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Postgraduate Courses
P1: Controversies and Management of Lower Extremity Arterial Occlusive Disease
P2: Complete Management of Venous...
From learning how to make research a career focus to learning what tools are needed to help adapt to the changing world of vascular...
I would like to invite all Vascular Annual Meeting attendees to join us for the Spring Meeting of the Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Society...
For things to see and do while at the Vascular Annual Meeting, consider National Harbor as a gateway port to Washington, D.C., situated just...
I am pleased to welcome you to the first Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) Annual Meeting (VQI@VAM), which will be held on June 8th, in...
In past years the Crawford Critical Issues Symposium has served as a forum in which nonclinical issues took center stage. At the 2016 Vascular...
Our nation’s capital is the perfect venue for the pre-eminent vascular surgical educational and social meeting of the year – the 2016 SVS Vascular...
The historical successes of emergent vascular care are known to many. The role vascular surgeons have played in providing experienced care in emergent situations...
Special room rates at the VAM headquarters hotel, the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, are good through Thursday, May 11. Enjoy the stunning...
Register today for hands-on training at the Vascular Annual Meeting’s hands-on-workshop (limit 15 participants each) on Wednesday, June 8. Twelve topics -- with tips,...
Up to four $5,000 scholarships to attend the 2017 Vascular Annual Meeting in San Diego are available to qualified young vascular surgeons living outside...
Vascular surgeons, clinicians, data managers and quality personnel will find helpful techniques and useful information on using data at the first-ever, day-long meeting of...
By now you must be tired of my rants about other specialties making inroads into our “turf.” But a brochure came across my desk...
In May, Rebecca (Becky) Maron CAE, the first Executive Director of the Society for Vascular Surgery, is retiring. Becky played a pivotal role in...
The Vascular Research Initiatives Conference - VRIC - is less than three weeks away. The one-day conference, on May 4 in Nashville, focuses on...
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has announced new funding for pragmatic clinical trials, large simple trials or large-scale observational studies that compare the...
The Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders is now indexed on PubMed, from Issue 1 Volume 1. PubMed is often the first...
SVS members are invited to nominate individuals for the SVS offices being voted on at the June business meeting at this nomination form. The...
SVS will pay the registration fee to the 2016 Vascular Annual Meeting to one lucky person who registers by March 31. The Vascular Annual...
Those interested in serving on an SVS committee should complete a short application by Friday, April 1. Appointments will be announced in late May.
New...
The SVS mobile app (SVS-iPG) that offers SVS practice guidelines on the diagnosis and management of a number of vascular conditions has been upgraded...
SVS is soliciting abstracts for a late-breaking session at the 2016 Vascular Annual Meeting. Preference will be given to prospective, multi-institutional trials and investigational...
Chicago, IL, March 3, 2016 – Registration is now open for the 2016 Vascular Annual Meeting, slated for June 8-11 at the Gaylord National...
How does one of the smartest and most well-known men of his time become almost forgotten in history? Dr. Alexis Carrel’s contributions to medicine...
The SVS is currently soliciting nominations for election to the positions of VP, Treasurer, and Secretary. Because this is an election year in the...
National search firm assists in finding next SVS Executive Director
Society for Vascular Surgery Executive Director Rebecca Maron has announced her retirement, effective the end...
Attendees may register and obtain housing beginning Thursday, March 3. SVS urges participants to register for their housing ONLY through its preferred provider, Wyndham...
A legislative priority issue for SVS and its members for 2016 is Chronic Care Management. The SVS Government Relations Committee has offered input on...
The Society for Vascular Surgery is accepting nominations through today, March 1 for its three highest honors. They are:
• SVS Lifetime Achievement Award
• SVS...
Want to win a prize for research? Below are 2016 deadlines and links to information for some of the SVS Foundation Awards.
Student Research Fellowship:...
Public comments are due no later than Monday, March 7, to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) on its strategic research priorities....
Work continues at the Society for Vascular Surgery to finalize an upgraded, robust member management system that will help the Society serve members better.
The...
Question: Doctors are more prone to lawsuits if they:
A. Have been sued before.
B. Spend fewer dollars per hospitalized patient.
C. Show poor communication skills.
D. A...
The abstract submission deadline has passed and the countdown to Vascular Annual Meeting 2016 has officially begun!
Attendees may register and obtain housing beginning...
The Society for Vascular Surgery is accepting nominations through March 1 for its three highest honors.
The SVS Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor...
A new practice memo, “PA and NP Integration in a Vascular Practice,” is now available in the “Practice Memo” section (in Practice Resources) of...
Let’s get personal for a moment. The next time you walk past your local cancer center, pay attention to the signs, the branding, and...
The deadline to submit abstracts for the 2016 Vascular Annual Meeting is 3 p.m. CST Feb. 1, which means less than one week remains...
Adversity is part of life and everyone must deal with it. How one manages adversity matters, separates the winners from the losers, and is...
Congratulations! You noticed that Vascular Specialist has a new look. And with your well-honed powers of observation you also noticed the inauguration of the...
Medical students and surgical residents can apply for travel scholarships to defray costs of attending the 2016 Vascular Annual Meeting. Two scholarships are available:...
To avoid a $50 late fee, 2016 dues MUST be received at SVS by Jan. 15. To pay dues, call 312-334-2313, fax 312-334-2320 or...
Abstracts for the 2016 Vascular Annual Meeting are due by 3 p.m. CST Feb. 1 -- and that date is approaching rapidly.
New this year:...
Applications to the joint scholarship offered by the American College of Surgeons and the Society for Vascular Surgery are due Feb. 1.
This $8,000 scholarship...
Space is truly a magical place, enchanting philosophers, scientists, artists and dreamers. From ancient civilizations that found pantheons of gods among the stars, to...
Abstracts for the 2016 Vascular Research Initiatives Conference must be submitted by Jan. 13.
VRIC will be held May 4 in Nashville, the day before...
The American College of Surgeons and the Society for Vascular Surgery are jointly offering a shared scholarship open to U.S. members in good standing...
The election of the 2016 SVS Nominating Committee is now complete. The Committee will determine the slate of officers for election in June 2016....
The Society for Vascular Surgery is now accepting nominations for its three highest honors.
SVS Lifetime Achievement Award
The SVS Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest...
The election of the 2016 SVS Nominating Committee is now complete. The Committee will determine the slate of officers for election in June 2016.
2016...
Donors who want to receive a 2015 tax deduction should make their 2015 contribution to the SVS Foundation before Dec. 31, just a little...
SVS members are invited to discover common ground between vascular and cardiothoracic surgeons in treating cardiovascular problems at the Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ 52nd...
Most of us like to start off a new year with good intentions. If you have been wondering how you can contribute to your...
There is a woman whose mischief is causing me a whole lot of problems. Now, I don’t want you to think that I’m a...
The estimated prevalence of depression or depressive symptoms was 28.8% among residents and interns worldwide in a meta-analysis of 54 studies of the issue,...
With the help of medical students affiliated with an SVS student group, 15 people were identified with potential vascular issues – including six with...
SVS members have until Dec. 31 to pay their 2016 dues. Members may pay their dues by logging onto their accounts online (link is...
The abstract submission site for the 2016 Vascular Annual Meeting is now open. Submissions will be accepted through 3 p.m. CST Feb. 1, 2016.
Please...
• Attendees of the 2014 VAM have until Dec. 31 to claim the appropriate Continuing Medical Education credits. Visit 2014 VAM CME to record...
Specific guidelines and other important information for submitting abstracts for the 2016 Vascular Annual Meeting are now available online. Submissions will be accepted from...
In this month’s Vascular Specialist, there are two letters to the editor that seem to imply a division in the SVS membership. The letters...
Electronic voting is now open to elect the at-large member of the 2016 SVS Nominating Committee by clicking on the link below.
www.surveymonkey.com/r/NBQQJ8K
Attendees of the 2014 Vascular Annual Meeting have until Dec. 31 to claim the appropriate Continuing Medical Education credits. Visit 2014 VAM CME to...
SVS members have until Dec. 31 to pay their 2016 dues.
“To take advantage of all the benefits of membership in the Society for Vascular...
The Society for Vascular Surgery and the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles are joining forces for their...
A written statement from the SVS:The Society for Vascular Surgery, with more than 5,000 vascular surgeon and allied health members, reviewed with interest the...
A number of new initiatives have recently been incorporated into the Best Endovascular versus best Surgical Therapy in patients with Critical Limb Ischemia (BEST-CLI)...
Abstract submissions for the 2016 Vascular Research Initiatives Conference must be submitted by Jan. 13, 2016. VRIC, set for May 4, 2016, in Nashville,...
Dear Physician Assistants throughout the country,
In the 1960s, internist Dr. Eugene Stead – one of the true icons and visionaries of American medicine –...
The SVS Coding Guide and SVU Coding Advisor Software combination, available in a one-year license, includes expert coding guidance for all of the peripheral...
I’ve described my nightmares before. But they are becoming more frequent. Night after night I would see myself in an operating room or Endo...
The impact of endovascular repair on specialties performing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Klaas H. J. Ultee, BSc,Rob Hurks, MD, PhD, Dominique B. Buck, MD,...
An indispensable free tool for clinicians, trainees and third-party payers
The SVS has introduced its new, free Clinical Practice Guidelines app for Apple and Android...
That’s no typo – SVS members have until Sept. 30 to nominate someone for the SVS nominating committee. The SVS Nominating Committee includes one...
Novel anticoagulants will likely replace need for vitamin K antagonists
BY MADHUKAR S. PATEL, M.D., AND ELLIOT L. CHAIKOF, M.D.
The discovery of oral...
Register now for the annual VEITHsymposium, scheduled from Nov. 17-21, 2015 at the New York Hilton Midtown in Manhattan. The VEITHsymposium provides vascular surgeons...
Carotid endarterectomy is one of the most common operations for vascular surgeons. The standard approach, anteriorly, requires division of the facial vein, frequently additional...
Once again hospital administrators in their never-ending quest to reduce expenditures have placed vascular surgeons at a disadvantage. First they reduce the inventory of...
The best of our Vascular Annual Meeting photos are now on Flickr, a photo-sharing website. All photos are high resolution and free. If you’re...
Funding through the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s VITA program is now available for those developing an innovative technology for treatment of vascular...
The SVS IDE Application template is now available. The template is for physician-modified endographs, or industry manufactured endovascular systems for infrarenal, juxtarenal or pararenal...
Recordings and slides of almost all 2015 Vascular Annual Meeting sessions are now available online. Attendees should have received a link for their free...
The SVS Comprehensive Vascular Review Course will be Aug. 28-29 near Chicago’s O’Hare airport. This educational activity is an intensive two-day vascular surgery review...
Vascular Surgery has evolved to balance clinical medicine, open and minimally invasive surgical interventions, and innovation into a unique career where technological advancement is...
Witch hunt: An intensive effort to discover and expose disloyalty, subversion, dishonesty or the like, usually based on slight, doubtful or irrelevant evidence, and...
Recently, my daughter asked my opinion of a salesperson’s suggestion that she spend extra for additional safety features on a new car she was...
Summer is a great time to pick up your Comprehensive Vascular Review Course. The Society for Vascular Surgery makes it even easier by offering...
In the past few months the BEST-CLI study has continued to energetically enroll patients. More than 100 of the planned 120 trial sites have...
In my past editorials I have made it abundantly clear that I believe that vascular surgeons, like the Knights of the Round Table in...
Attendees at the 2015 Vascular Annual Meeting will get a bonus--Postgraduate Courses and dozens of educational sessions were recorded. Recordings will be available to...
Are your coding and reimbursement processes where you want them to be? Does your staff know how to manage the appeals process? Part three...
Administrative data show that readmission rates are highest in vascular surgery, according to Dr. Natalia O. Glebova and her colleagues. In Friday afternoon’s Plenary...
Behind most significant awards, you usually find a human story of outstanding character, singular achievement, and lasting influence. That is especially the case this...
Yesterday’s breakfast session on careers and networking was just for trainees, and that’s kind of a shame.
Many attendees, especially first-timers, can find networking at...
In Friday morning’s Plenary Session, Dr. Malachai G. Sheahan will present the results of a study that he and his colleagues did to establish...
Calling All Cardinals, Bears, Quakers and Assorted Graduates
Alumni receptions will be hosted in the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers on Thursday evening, June 18....
It is apparent from the many letters I have received as medical editor of Vascular Specialist that vascular surgeons are disappointed that our patients,...
As Medicare celebrates its 50th anniversary, federal officials are beginning one of the most significant shifts in the program’s history – paying physicians based...
Hotel rooms are still available at our meeting headquarters, Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, through our booking agency, Wyndham Jade.
Shuttle service will be provided...
At the Annual Meeting, 54 surgeons were elected as active AATS members:
Abbas E. Abbas (Philadelphia, PA)
Pavan Atluri (Philadelphia, PA)
Leora B. (Nashville, TN)
Daniel J. Boffa(New...
You can register for the Annual Meeting in Chicago right up to – and through – the days of the meeting, June 17-20. Though...
The SVS Political Action Committee annual report for 2014 is now available online. Please take a few minutes to read about our past year....
Are your coding and reimbursement processes where you want them to be? The Society for Vascular Ultrasound is offering a series of three coding...
Young surgeons from outside North America may apply for an International Scholars Program scholarship, which offers a stipend for visiting U.S. universities and clinics.
Scholars...
If you are scheduled to be an abstract author or invited speaker at the Vascular Annual Meeting, it is time to complete your online...
Just because the 12-year SGR/Medicare Physician Payment debate has ended in Congress does not mean that vascular surgeons can rest easy. Private practice physicians...
The Vascular Annual Meeting is June 17-20 in Chicago, Ill. The deadline is May 14 to reserve hotel rooms at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel...
Your participation is needed now in the Strategic Visioning effort launched by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. The goal is to determine...
If you register for the Vascular Annual Meeting before April ends, your name will be entered in a drawing for free registration. Registration must...
Be sure to visit our interactive digital or PDF version of the April issue of Vascular Specialist, now available online. This month we are...
You will be visiting at a great time. The weather is fabulous (average high, 80 degrees) and the festivals and parties are non-stop. The...
In a previous editorial I outlined the problem with performance measures that demand that we incorporate the patient into our decision-making process. From the...
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.– Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in patients 80 years and older can be performed safely and with good medium-term survival rates, a prospective...
There’s no place like San Francisco. And it’s even better when you’re surrounded by your fellow researchers at the Vascular Research Initiatives Conference. This...
Hotel reservations are closed, but you can still sign up for the 2015 Coding Class, titled, “Challenges in Vascular Surgery 2015: Coding and Reimbursement...
Based on the pace of early sign ups, we’re expecting an excellent turnout for the Vascular Annual Meeting, set for June 17-20 in Chicago....
A host of learning and training opportunities are open to the winners of this year’s Women’s Leadership Training Grant. The deadline to apply is...
Editor’s Note: The associate editors of Vascular Specialist were asked to provide their perspectives on the stenting controversy. Here is a selection.
Dr. Frank J....
Each year, one of the highlights of the Vascular Annual Meeting is the lively Crawford Critical Issues Symposium, headed this year by Dr. Bruce...
I suspect that most members of the SVS are aware of the recent New York Times article entitled “Medicare payments surge for stents to...
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. – Academic surgeons earn an average of 10% or $1.3 million less in gross income across their lifetime than surgeons...
Patients who are treated at sites with longer participation in the VQI had better medical management and this was associated with higher survival rates,...
Along with the usual threat of cuts to physician payment using the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula, which sets payment rates through a formula...
This issue features a special section of editorial opinion from our associate medical editors and letters from the SVS membership addressing the issue of...
Dr. Gretchen Schwarze of the University of Wisconsin-Madison was quoted in, “A surgery standard under fire,” in the New York Times March 2, 2015....
This one-day scientific conference is designed for scientists investigating peripheral vascular disease, as well as vascular surgery trainees, research trainees in vascular surgery and...
The 2015 VAM, set for June 17-20 in Chicago, is your chance to hear first-hand about important new research, sit in on interesting sessions,...
Registration is now open for the Vascular Annual Meeting, scheduled for June 17-20 in Chicago.
Many popular events, such as “Vascular Live,” are returning...
Editors note: The following are a selection of responses from the SVS membership sent to Dr. Peter Lawrence based upon his article in a...
If ever-changing coding procedures are giving your office fits, here’s a solution: “Challenges in Vascular Surgery 2015: Coding and Reimbursement for Vascular Surgeons.” The...
The NSA might know how often you order Chinese after midnight, or the topics of your text messages to your dog sitter. But when...
Muscle flaps have come to play an invaluable role in the management of complex groin wounds (Figure 1). We have found that the gracilis...
In 2002, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, or ACGME, rocked traditional residency training paradigms by proposing a regulated residency call schedule.1 Revised...
You’ve heard the drumbeat – in years to come we won’t have nearly enough vascular surgeons to treat an aging population.
“Folks, we need more...
This month we are introducing a new feature in Vascular Specialist – a column on medicolegal matters. After all there are few issues that...
We’ve been having some fun with the Chicago stereotype – sports fans who eat a lot of sausage and change their “th” sounds to...
The start of the new year—a little more than halfway through my presidential term—is a fitting time to reflect upon the accomplishments of our...
Two awards are offered by the SVS Foundation with deadlines of March 2, 2015. They are the prestigious Student Research Fellowship Award and the...
The Society for Vascular Surgery has just released its long-awaited, “SVS practice guidelines for atherosclerotic occlusive disease of the lower extremities: Management of asymptomatic...
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.– “It’s surprising to me today, when I go proctor or watch a case, how people don’t understand the impact of radiation,” Dr....
Recently I read a blog by Dr. Ira Nash at the blog site, KevinMD, where Dr. Nash suggests that it behooves physicians to fully...
BOSTON – Medical residents in the United States appear to understand that cardiopulmonary resuscitation or intubation is highly unlikely to benefit patients with advanced...
In November I attended the VEITHsymposium in New York. Almost 600 experts from around the world gave lectures on every aspect of vascular surgery....
All vascular surgeons want to be good doctors and to take the best possible care of their patients. They, therefore, train diligently and strive...
Frailty accounted for an increased morbidity in elective AAA repair patients who participated in a study detailed in the February 2015 edition of the...
Over the next few months, sites will be selected for the first large-scale, multi-specialty, prospective clinical research trial to evaluate IVC filters in the...
SVS staff worked with a group of surgical society representatives to try to rescind the elimination of the Global Surgical Packages as part of...
A shared decision-making model focuses on how patients view outcomes.
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand statistics. Using a simple diagram and narrative,...
Choosing Wisely was initiated by the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation to provide recommendations to both patients and physicians about the evaluation and...
In November last year, one of the highly prestigious National Medals of Technology and Innovation was presented to Thomas J. Fogarty, Fogarty Institute for...
Patient mortality and morbidity outcomes have not changed since the most recent round of reforms to medical residents’ duty hours in 2011, according to...
The SVS has a long tradition of reaching out to the worldwide vascular surgery community. As of September 2014, members outside North America totaled...
There’s excellent news for Vascular Specialist readers with certification, re-certification, or residency or fellowship exams on the horizon. The latest triennial update of the...
Introducing the VQI Varicose Vein Registry
Across the United States, thousands of vein centers and hospitals offer a range of treatments for varicose veins to...
Contribute to the SVS Foundation and ask a colleague to follow your lead
The SVS Foundation Development Committee, chaired by Ali AbuRahma, MD, invites you...
In the dream I had an asymptomatic 5.7-cm juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm. Like most of my patients I also had a 70% left internal...
Although some vascular surgeons are convinced that endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is superior to open repair for the treatment of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms...
Yes, TEVAR is clearly indicated.
Aortic dissection is a devastating condition afflicting an estimated two to eight per 100,000 people annually and comprises a large...
Medical history is more than just the praise of great heroes and heroines and the nearly mythical stories of serendipitous discovery and invention. It...
Dr. Michael Ellis DeBakey, pioneer heart surgeon and medical device innovator, died July 11, 2008 in Houston, about 2 months shy of his 100th...
The ready availability of nearly unlimited quantities of biologically-based drugs such as heparin is something that is taken for granted nowadays, such that massive...
In the first years of the 20th century, Dr. Alexis Carrel (1873-1944) introduced three-point end-to-end vessel anastomosis, a technique that revolutionized vascular surgery. His...
Well before the American Civil War, without benefit of anesthetics and without antiseptics, Dr. Valentine Mott performed some of the first successful operations on...
Mobile health technologies will become a part of the health care landscape for all stakeholders at some point. Other sectors of society currently cannot...
Declining reimbursements, health care law changes, and increased costs means the modern physician needs to have knowledge in business, law, and medicine. In today’s...
President Peter Lawrence—two priorities to drive surgeon and patient education
While in Chicago for an SVS officers retreat, President Peter Lawrence took time to outline...
Who in their right mind would organize the main event of a surgeons’ convention around the topic of unnecessary procedures? Surely this would almost...
Attend an intensive, two-day program in Chicago this October 10-11 that addresses the most pressing issues about coding and reimbursement, including:
• Proposed updates...
I must admit that Shakespeare was not one of my favorite subjects at school. However, his words have relevance to some of my thoughts...
Representative Michael Burgess was the special guest for the SVS PAC reception held during the Vascular Annual Meeting in Boston on June 5. Guests...
The SVS Foundation announced Dr. Julie Ann Freischlag as the new SVS Foundation Chair. Dr. Freischlag follows in the footsteps of Dr. Peter Gloviczki,...
BOSTON – This year’s F. Stanley Crawford Critical Issues Forum, titled "Appropriate Use of Vascular Surgery Procedures: Do We Have a Problem?," was a...
Vascular pioneer, Dr. John J. Bergan, died on June 11th, 2014.
Dr. Bergan’s illustrious career spanned more than 50 years. He completed his residency at...
The combination of healthier patients, stricter work-hour limits, and the increase in minimally invasive procedures could create a training gap among vascular surgeons, particularly...
SVS Women’s Leadership Training Grants Winners:
Manju Kalra, MBBS
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota
Caron Rockman, MD
New York University Medical Center
New York, NY
Ulka Sachdev, MD
University of Pittsburgh...
The typical American world view has always extolled the virtues of positive thinking. From the pilgrim fathers to the Western settlers, we pursued goals...
Vascular surgery has evolved from a limited subspecialty of general and thoracic surgery into a complex and well-defined specialty. The introduction of endovascular treatments...
More than 100 investigators, students, and trainees with an interest in translational research attended the Vascular Research Initiatives Conference (VRIC) in Toronto. Held one...
Vascular health professionals from around the world gathered in Boston earlier this month to learn more about the specialty’s cutting-edge research, catch up with...
The Journal of Vascular Surgery (JVS) has migrated to a new web platform, providing readers with improved search capabilities and mobile-friendly content. The full...
BOSTON – Resident participation in emergency general surgery cases was independently associated with a host of complications – pulmonary embolism, surgical site infections, and...
When SVS President Julie Ann Freischlag, MD, went off to college at the University of Illinois, her goal was to become a high school...
An actual flip of a coin was responsible for bringing John Mannick, MD, into the field of vascular surgery. But it was more than...
Rutherford’s Vascular Surgery, 8th Edition, a comprehensive two-volume reference has recently been released.
"Rutherford’s Vascular Surgery is the definitive medical reference for vascular surgeons, interventionalists...
"Why do I need to do research if I'm going into private practice anyway?"
I have heard this question multiple times throughout my career...
Balloon embolectomy revolutionized the treatment of acute thromboembolism involving peripheral arteries. However, an often overlooked method that actually may be more beneficial is to...
Cutting-edge research presentations by vascular surgeons from around the world, a preview of the latest vascular surgery products and techniques, and an opportunity to...
Scenario: The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a large hospital comes into the Chief Medical Officer's (CMO) office after a hospital board retreat meeting...
Nearing 40 years of continued service to its membership, the Peripheral Vascular Surgery Society at its annual meeting elected a change in the society...
I recently returned from Professor Roger Greenhalgh's excellent Charing Cross meeting in London. A plethora of exciting new developments was presented to almost 4,000...
With people aged 65 and over making up the fastest growing segment of the US population, medical frailty – and its attendant increase in...
To evaluate thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) devices in the treatment of Type B aortic dissection, the SVS Patient Safety Organization is collaborating with...
More than 150 program directors and residency coordinators attended the recent spring meeting of the Association for Program Directors in Vascular Surgery (APDVS). The...
The SVS Publications Committee invites applicants for the position of editor of the Journal of Vascular Surgery and the Journal of Vascular Surgery –...
The specialty’s premier educational event, the Vascular Annual Meeting, June 5-7 in Boston, will soon be here. Research presentations by top vascular surgeons, a...
Nicolas Mouawad has always had an interest in the relationship between government and health care. To get a closer look at how lobbying influences...
As SVS international membership has grown, so has the Vascular Annual Meeting’s international programming. The International Forum, open to all and held from 4:00...
The AQC is composed of representatives from each regional quality group and organized into workgroups for each of the arterial modules. These workgroups evaluate...
The 2014 Vascular Annual Meeting will be the last year of service for Dr. Ronald Fairman, who has served 3 years as program chair,...
Professor Edouard Kieffer, a preeminent figure in French vascular surgery, died in February 2014, at the age of 72. He was Professor of Vascular...
Contributions to SVS PAC in 2013 served as a catalyst for several victories. These donations from SVS members provided the funds for SVS member...
The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently issued a draft document recommending against screening for carotid artery disease in asymptomatic patients.
The draft...
As I view the implementation of the Patient Protection and Accountable Care Act (ACA), I am concerned that this bureaucratic, administrative, directive-driven apparatus will...
In this online issue of Vascular Specialist, we mourn the passing of five pioneer vascular surgeons. One of these, Dr. James DeWeese, worked with...
It is important for SVS members to know, understand, and prepare for the upcoming changes to the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS). PQRS is...
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule for the 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule has been published, and most provisions went...
The SVS Foundation is now partnering with Vascular Cures on its Wylie Scholar Program. The Wylie Scholar Program provides a crucial career development award...
Become a presenter at the 2014 Vascular Annual Meeting, June 5-7 in Boston, MA, and submit a late-breaking clinical trial abstract. Selected abstracts will...
According to a recent survey by the Medical Group Management Association, less than 10 percent of physician practices are prepared for the upcoming ICD-10...
Editor’s Note: I urge readers unfamiliar with the Perclose Proglide® device to pay special attention to the instructions for use and to follow them...
A study published in Journal of Vascular Surgery is a "call to action" for device companies.
Women are more likely than men to suffer complications,...
Proper coding of insurance claims is important to reimbursement. Sean Roddy, MD, Chair of the SVS Health Policy Committee, has long had an interest...
The question of whether or not to give more healthy patients statin drugs is one of considerable interest to the public and much debate...
Since FDA approval of endovascular aneurysm repair in 1999, the management of abdominal aortic aneurysms has transformed. Only 5.2% of AAAs were repaired by...
I am ashamed to admit this, but I think I am becoming an "anti-semantic!" Surely it is scandalous that an editor is beginning to...
How does one talk about the future? We start with a look at our recent past. We looked at our recent work in five...
Off-label use of a medical device can potentially result in medical malpractice litigation. To help physicians become familiar with the conditions under which the...
There are two positive changes for vascular surgeons regarding AAA screening and the proposed non-facility cap in the 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final...
Act soon as the January 2 deadline to share your research at the Vascular Annual Meeting, the premier educational event for vascular surgeons, is...
Hundreds of new CPT codes for vascular surgery will go into effect in January. Coding Guide 2014 is designed to provide vascular surgeons and...
Vascular health professionals can share scientific research with colleagues by submitting an abstract for presentation at the 28th Annual Vascular Research Initiatives Conference...
Two new practice memos are now available on VascularWeb.org for SVS members. Electronic Medical Records/Health Information Technology: Background Information and Resources, provides a directory...
The SVS Foundation leadership announced that the Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery (SCVS) has pledged $50,000 to the Foundation. This generous contribution funds clinical...
The SVS Foundation thanks all members who have contributed to this year’s Annual Appeal. Not only is this the time of year when people...
The deadlines are rapidly approaching for several SVS Foundation awards. Learn more about these exciting opportunities and apply for the following:
Deadlines
Resident Research Prize (deadline...
Sometimes I feel like I am writing in invisible ink. I write these editorials but I have a feeling no one is actually reading...
Mini-incision carotid surgery was first reported (not necessarily performed) by Ascher et al in 2005. In light of this report and an ever-growing patient...
We are pleased to have Dr. Sapan S. Desai come on board as our Resident/Fellow Editor for the next year. Dr. Desai was selected...
In recent years, data show that half of all medical students are female, yet in 2007, women accounted for only 12 percent of those...
SVS members preparing for recertification this November can benefit from the Vascular Education and Self-Assessment Program, VESAP2. Now in its second edition, VESAP2 is...
Vascular surgeons interested in presenting their research at the premier educational event for vascular health professionals can submit abstracts online through January 2. Abstracts...
For the first time in more than 30 years, the Society for Vascular Surgery, in joint sponsorship with the American Venous Forum, launched a...
Plan to attend and submit an abstract for presentation at the 28th Annual Vascular Research Initiatives Conference (VRIC), presented by SVS, to be held...
For a specialty with less than 5,000 members in the United States, vascular surgery certainly has an abundance of societies – SVS, SAVS, ISVS,...
The Southern Association for Vascular Surgery demonstrated its commitment to the advancement of vascular surgery with a pledge of $25,000 to the SVS Foundation.
"The...
To ensure the continuation of clinical investigation in vascular disease, the SVS Foundation sponsors the Clinical Research Seed Grant Program. This program:
• Encourages the...
Understanding the new codes released each year by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is critical to ensuring proper reimbursement for vascular surgeons....
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is addressing 211 codes the agency believes may have resource inputs that are misvalued in its...
Two young men went camping in the wilderness. One of them went off to gather firewood. He returned an hour later, staggering, badly battered,...
On a recent flight back from Europe I had a most unsettling but thought provoking experience when I watched the Oscar-winning foreign movie "Amour."
You...
The SVS Foundation supports surgeons launching their research careers and established researchers to do both clinical and basic research projects. The SVS Foundation's ambitious...
Donations to the SVS Foundation support vascular surgeons at all stages in their careers, from those just starting in clinical and basic research to...
To ensure the continuation of clinical investigation in vascular disease, the SVS Foundation sponsors the Clinical Research Seed Grant Program. This program:
• encourages the...
The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) launched the Jahnigen Scholars Program: A Model for Faculty Career Development Award (JSP) in 2002. JSP fosters the development...
The underlying pathophysiology of chronic venous insufficiency is complex and involves many factors. Studies have shown that average venous ulcers may need 6-12 months...
Roy Greenberg, MD, was honored during the Vascular Annual Meeting held in San Francisco with the first of a series of lectures in his...
The SVS Foundation thanks the following donors for their generous contributions during the Annual Appeal from April 1, 2012, through March 31, 2013.
Individual Contributors
Oliver...
The Open the Pathway campaign, conducted in 2009 and into early 2010, received strong support from SVS members, regional societies, and industry partners. The...
In 2012 Thomas S. Hatsukami, MD, Professor of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle, was presented the first...
The Student Research Fellowship, established by the SVS Foundation, stimulates laboratory and clinical vascular research by undergraduate college students and medical school students registered...
Dear Colleagues:Our specialty enjoys the prestige of being known for quality care. One of the reasons is the excellent research we’ve conducted. We must...
A stated goal of the United States is to support and promote democracy throughout the world. This seems reasonable, because democracy has often worked...
The Physician Payment Sunshine Act is now in place, and I’m concerned that it may become the "Sunset Act" since it may be another...
Sept. 6, 2013
Dear SVS Member:
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is recommending cuts to 15 vascular surgery codes in its Calendar Year...
The coding process is continually changing. To ensure proper reimbursement, it's vitally important to be up-to-date on billing and coding procedures so register today...
SVS members are eligible to apply for a $100,000 award through the SVS? Foundation to develop a grant application for a high-impact multicenter clinical...
As a vascular specialist, remaining current on the latest clinical advances and techniques in vascular surgery is essential to providing the best patient outcomes....
Several presentations from the 2013 Vascular Annual Meeting have been captured on video. These recorded sessions provide an opportunity to learn from leaders in...
Everyone gets sick, but not everyone expresses how they are feeling in the same way. Some patients may not feel comfortable speaking about a...
In July, the Society for Vascular Surgery sent requests to its members to complete surveys regarding the work involved with creation, revision, and thrombectomy...
Many of us will do anything or use any product available to stop oozing from suture needle holes. After all, waiting for bleeding to...
President
Julie Ann Freischlag, MD
President-Elect
Peter Lawrence, MD
Vice President
Bruce A. Perler, MD
Secretary
Michel S. Makaroun, MD
Treasurer
Clement Darling, MD
Immediate Past President
Peter Gloviczki, MD
Program Chair
Ronald Fairman, MD
Research Council Chair
Michael...
Six new Honorary Members were named and 35 Corresponding Members were named SVS Honorary Members.
Honorary Members
Jean-Pierre Becquemin, MD
Gustav Fraedrich, MD
Calogero Presti, MD, PhD
Carlo Setacci,...
Dr. Nathan D. Airhart, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, was the recipient of this year’s SVS Foundation Resident Research Prize Paper, which...
I am extremely thrilled to be named the new editor of Vascular Specialist. Uniquely unblemished by commercialism, Vascular Specialist has provided updated information with...
A middle aged man goes to his primary care physician for his annual check-up. Because of an abnormal physical finding or laboratory test, he...
The very successful 2013 Vascular Annual Meeting® was the fourth highest attended annual meeting in SVS history and the highest attended West Coast meeting....
The 2013 Vascular Annual Meeting welcomed a record number of new SVS members.
Active Members
Shadi J Abu-Halimah MD
Alaa A Addasi MD
Gilbert Aidinian MD
Ajibola Akingba...
The following officers were elected during the 2013 Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM). They are: President, Julie A. Freischlag, MD, of The Johns Hopkins Medical...
Use the convenient VAM CME System today to claim credits for the 2013 Vascular Annual Meeting. A username and password is necessary to access...
In an early Peanuts cartoon Charlie Brown asked Linus what he wanted to be when he grew up, and Linus replied that was going...
Dr. George Andros, departing Medical Editor of Vascular Specialist, was presented with a Presidential Citation Award by Dr. Peter Gloviczki in recognition of his...
Before anesthetics, before antibiotics, before surgery had even become a scientific discipline, surgeons throughout history did not shy away from the treatment of aneurysms,...
Dear Colleagues,
Vascular surgery is a small specialty. We’re lucky if we have more than a handful of colleagues practicing nearby. Seeing our power in...
Several months ago we asked our readers to respond to an eleven-part questionnaire dealing with outpatient endovascular centers (OECs). Forty-three of you took the...
Dear Colleagues:
On behalf of the Society for Vascular Surgery® (SVS) Political Action Committee (PAC), I want to thank all SVS members who contributed to...
The SVS Women's Leadership Committee is committed to promoting a supportive environment for female vascular surgeons and to fostering professional development by networking, identifying...
Experience ‘everyone’s favorite city’, San Francisco, May 30-June 1. Known for its scenic beauty, cultural attractions, and diverse communities, San Francisco also has world-class...
The SVS International Scholars Program is offering four scholarships to qualified young vascular surgeons from countries other than the United States or Canada. The...
SVS logo ties, bowties, and scarves (see below) will be available for purchase at the 2013 Vascular Annual Meeting near the registration area, during...
I have never understood how the cardiology community is able to organize so many excellent trials while vascular surgeons struggle to complete a small...
February 11 marked the second anniversary of the Society for Vascular Surgery® Patient Safety Organization (SVS PSO), a milestone of which we should all...
Today all we hear about is the high cost of U.S. health care, and how for our country to survive economically, it must cut...
The final report of the Stroke Research Priorities Meeting is now available on the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) public website....
It has come to the attention of the SVS Health Policy Committee that there appears to be an error in the 2013 Medicare Physician...
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to launch a redesigned Physician Compare website in March 2013.
The new website will feature enhanced...
A two percent across-the-board cut to Medicare, which is part of sequestration along with defense and discretionary domestic programs, will be triggered on March...
A new session, the International Forum, featuring abstracts by international authors, will be offered at the 2013 Vascular Annual Meeting. This concurrent session will...
To allow residents and students to explore their interest in vascular surgery, the fellow/resident/student educational and networking program of the Vascular Annual Meeting will...
As a member, you value your SVS membership. Invite your colleagues to enjoy those benefits, which range from discounted meeting registration to personalized practice...
The Department of Defense has issued a program announcement to solicit and fund research on the topics of vascular injury and hemorrhage control.
To learn...
SVS and the Society of Interventional Radiology will launch the first large-scale, multispecialty prospective study to evaluate the use of inferior vena cava (IVC)...
SVS members received a new journal, Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders. Published four times a year by SVS and the American...
In 2010, the FDA issued a safety communication on retrievable Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filters, which are frequently used in patients at risk for...
Culture is comprised of values, convictions, and practices that have developed over time within ethnic, religious, or geographically distinct societies or groups and have...
As a vascular surgeon in Southern California for the last 13 years, I am no stranger to the challenges of treating the non-English-speaking patient....
The Journal of Vascular Surgery iPad app is now available. To download, go to the App Store via your iPad and search Journal of...
Vascular surgeons interested in how to build a stem cell program should plan to attend the upcoming 27th Annual Vascular Research Initiatives Conference (VRIC)....
2013 Coding Guide Available
The latest edition of the Coding Guide is available for pre-purchase on VascularWeb. This valuable resource is designed to provide...
The first endovascular treatment of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (EVAR) in North America was performed 20 years ago last November. Dr. Juan Parodi, Dr....
The Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus Document on Management of Peripheral Arterial Disease (TASC I), published in January 2001, resulted from cooperation between fourteen medical, radiological...
This issue's editorial is a calling card by our newest editorial board member, Dr. Joseph Mills of the University of Arizona. Demography is destiny....
Watch for New Journal
The first issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders® should reach your mailboxes the first week in...
Make Your SVS Foundation Contribution by Dec. 31, 2012
Support your specialty with a contribution to the SVS® Foundation. Donations made by Dec. 31 may...
For more than 50 years, the federal government has accepted the responsibility for financial support of graduate medical education. Legislation passed during the 1960s...
MILWAUKEE – General surgery residents in a community-based residency program experienced a significant 49% decline in open aortic surgeries over the last decade, an...
The report contains a message from Society for Vascular Surgery® President Peter Gloviczki MD, an illustrated timeline of the remarkable history of SVS, a...
Research funding is becoming more difficult to obtain, yet it plays a vital role in the outcome of vascular patients.
The SVS® Foundation awards grants...
Interested in the latest news about Vascular Surgery?
VascularWeb visitors may now link directly to, and register for an RSS feed for vascular news provided...
If you attended the premier event for vascular health professionals, the recent Vascular Annual Meeting®, make the most of your educational experience and act...
A policy which limits exam admissibility has been instituted by the American Board of Surgery for the 2012-2013 academic year. With this change, an...
An important election is being held on November 6 for all House of Representatives’ seats, one-third of Senate seats and President. Many of these...
"For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong."
– H.L. Mencken
Every time I think about trying to solve the...
The first Society for Vascular Surgery® (SVS) Foundation Multicenter Clinical Studies Planning Grant was presented to Thomas S. Hatsukami, MD, of the University of...
Imagine ligating an arterial aneurysm in the early 1800s, when clipper ships were the fastest mode of transport. Thomas Jefferson was still President and...
(Editor's Note: Read Dr. George Andros' introduction to this installment of Veith's Viewpoint.)
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has the laudable goals of extending health...
Once you’ve read this month’s Veith’s Viewpoint, you will see it doesn’t shy away from topical and highly controversial realities that will come into...
In July, the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) joined AAAneurysm Outreach, a newly-formed national non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of abdominal aortic aneurysms...
To help vascular surgeons maintain an extensive knowledge base on all aspects of vascular disease and health, the Society for Vascular Surgery® (SVS) is...
Vascular surgeons scheduled to take the upcoming recertification exam can benefit from VESAP®2, an online self-assessment program specifically developed by the Society for Vascular...
Five new patient education fliers have been added to the online practice management toolkit at www.VascularWeb.org. Written in layman’s terms, the new vascular health...
From a presentation on the critical issues in venous disease to the Presidential Address by Dr. Richard Cambria, the 2012 Vascular Annual Meeting was...
SVS values all its members and has formed committees to work on special projects important to those with specific practice and specialty goals. Some...
Vascular surgeons and their staffs who want to expand their coding knowledge and improve reimbursement should plan to attend Challenges in Vascular Surgery 2012:...
Sensing the urgent need for more face-to-face advocacy, particularly with members of Congress who serve on health care committees, are leaders and/or MDs, SVS...
Vascular surgeons, as well as related specialists, have increasingly become involved in the ownership of outpatient endovascular suites as proprietors (individual or partnered with...
When the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) was approached to become involved in assessing vascular out-patient centers (OEC) the Clinical Practices Committee (CPC) convened...
Rudolph Matas, M.D, is yet another of the famous surgeons of the past 2 centuries to whom the sobriquet "father of Vascular Surgery" has...
"If Hunter were to return to life, nothing, I believe, would grieve him so much as the fact that tying the femoral artery where...
Ernest Stanley Crawford (1922-1992) was an internationally renowned cardiovascular surgeon whose greatest technical work involved innovative surgical techniques in the treatment of complex aortic...
Dr. Michael Ellis DeBakey, pioneer heart surgeon and medical device innovator, died July 11, 2008, in Houston, about 2 months shy of his 100th...
Citing a revolution in the way surgeons learn their craft, Dr. Erica L. Mitchell and Dr. Sonal Arora present an analysis of vascular training...
The June 6-8, 2012 Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) Vascular Annual Meeting held at National Harbor, MD, recorded excellent attendance. In all, 2,839 members,...
The June 6-8, 2012 Vascular Annual Meeting in National Harbor, MD, was the venue for recognizing the 12 newest SVS Distinguished Fellows.
Active, International,...
On June 8, 2012, 2011-2012 SVS President Richard Cambria, MD, passed the gavel to 2012-2013 SVS President Peter Gloviczki, MD. As the 67th SVS...
At the June 2012 board meeting, the SVS Membership Committee approved all 208 2012 SVS membership applications. As of June 26, 2012, SVS membership...
Vascular surgery is an exciting field. It also faces enormous challenges. These include a difficult economic climate and intense competition from other specialties, both...
"Get this thing out of my operating room! The colon stapling device exploded into pieces when I hurled it against the operating room wall."
Most...
At the June 2012 SVS board meeting Secretary, John Ricotta, MD, recommended the following amendment to the bylaws:
Article II. Objectives of the Society for...
The Women’s Leadership Committee hosted a roundtable discussion on issues specific to women vascular surgeons during the recent Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS)® Vascular...
The Society for Vascular Surgery® (SVS) Vascular Annual Meeting® has long been a leading source of Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits.
For the first time,...
"Even well-meaning members of Congress don’t understand healthcare like we do," said Indiana Congressman Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN). The freshman Congressman was among the...
The Society for Vascular Surgery® (SVS) launched the Vascular Quality Initiative® (VQI) in February 2011. Today, VQI has more than 160 participating centers with...
The new Society for Vascular Surgery® Vascular Quality Initiative® website www.vascularqualityinitiative.org includes:• benefits of participation, regional quality groups, the SVS Patient Safety Organization, and...
There was a balloon drop at the 2012 Brown University Alpert Medical School Match Day ceremony.
At the University of California Los Angeles David Geffen...
The vascular surgery specialty has been blessed with outstanding innovators who are responsible for the advancements the field has experienced throughout the years. Several...
The progress of women surgeons has been a long and often difficult journey. While there are many pioneers to thank and accomplishments to celebrate,...
The Quality and Performance Measures Committee oversees the quality measure portfolio for SVS. Members develop, test, and submit quality measures for national endorsement. It...
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has the laudable goals of extending health care insurance coverage and reducing overall health care costs. However, hidden in...
The Vascular Quality Initiative® surpassed 150 participating centers in March 2012. As the initiative continues to grow, so does the number of organized regional...
Be part of the excitement and make plans now to experience the Vascular Annual Meeting. Learn about the latest and best information on new...
Background
The U.S. Medicare payment policy requires a broad and thorough analysis regarding how it affects providers and beneficiaries. The U.S. Congress has always...
In 2014, the Vascular Surgery Board of the American Board of Surgery (VSB-ABS) will require all physicians applying for the Vascular Surgery Qualifying Exam...
The Society for Vascular Surgeons' position on the American Medical Association's (AMA) Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) has been a critically important asset...
To celebrate 10 years of success on Capitol Hill, members of the United States Congress - especially those who are physicians - have been...
Vascular patients who most need treatment are often difficult and risky to treat by open operation or an endovascular intervention. In contrast, patients who...
The SVS PAC contributed to the election campaigns of the following Congressional members/challengers. The Congressional members are: in leadership, members of committees of jurisdiction...
SVS appreciates and acknowledges the support provided through generous donations made to the SVS PAC between January 1, 2011 and January 31, 2012. The...
An exclusive SVS PAC 10th Anniversary Reception will be held during the 2012 Vascular Annual Meeting. The reception will be held on Washington, D.C.’s...
SVS PAC has identified the following priorities for distribution of 2011 funds:
1. Primary sponsors of bills / language specific to vascular surgery;
2. Majority party...
It is important to continue to increase your congressional relationships in order to inform members about your issues. One of the most effective ways...
1. We respect our patients’ desire for the highest quality vascular service and advocate on their behalf;
2. We respect the integrity, competency and compassion...
What is SVS Political Action Committee (PAC)?
SVS PAC is an independent committee formed in 2003 to raise funds and make contributions to the campaigns...
Welcome to the February online edition of Vascular Specialist.
We all had hoped for more but had to settle for another temporary fix to the...
From March 23 - 24, 2012 in Washington, D.C., Sean P. Roddy, M.D., will lead the Society for Vascular Surgery® (SVS) Coding and Reimbursement...
A key element of SVS’ recruitment campaign is the Vascular Annual Meeting® Medical Student and General Surgery Travel Scholarship Program. The program began in...
March 1 happens to be the first day to register for the 2012 Vascular Annual Meeting®. Both online registration and housing reservations will become...
The SVS Board of Directors met on January 7.
Board Actions
• Approved moving forward on a contract with Elsevier to publish the Journal of...
The SVS Clinical Practice Council (CPC) held its annual strategic meeting December 2011 to discuss how to better align the goals of its reporting...
The SVS is campaigning to recruit the next generation of vascular surgeons and it is paying off.
In 2007, there were fewer than 2,400 active...
The relationship between professional medical societies and industry, specifically the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, has come under increasing scrutiny. The chief concern is...
The 2012 Coding Guide offers:
Electronic access through the internet for the most up-to-date information
Searchable by code numbers and key words
A "favorites"...
March 1, 2012
Lifetime Achievement Award
March 1, 2012
Medal for Innovation in Vascular Surgery
March 1, 2012
Distinguished Fellow application deadline
March 1, 2012
Membership application deadline
March 17, 2012
Student Research...
The Resident and Student Outreach Committee members are featured in the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) January 2012 Choices Newsletter for medical students.
Links...
On April 17, 2012, SVS will present Experimental and Applied Vascular Biology, the 26th Annual Vascular Research Initiatives Conference (VRIC) in Chicago.
"VRIC is designed...
The SVS scholarship program has sparked an increase in the number of medical student residency matches for the integrated vascular training programs (0+5). In...
In December 1948, Dr. Rudolph Nissen, later famed for his esophageal surgery technique called fundoplication, operated on Albert Einstein, at the Jewish Hospital in...
The SVS Political Action Committee (PAC) reaches a notable milestone this year. It has supported SVS members by opening doors to members of Congress...
"The Public and Patient Outreach Committee is pleased to announce new patient videos," said Steven Leers, MD, chair of the SVS Public and Professional...
"Vascular surgeons and their practice managers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, surgery schedulers, and coders are invited to attend the course, Challenges in Vascular...
The vascular surgery specialty has been blessed with outstanding innovators who are responsible for the advancements the field has experienced throughout the years. Now,...
"The 26th Annual Vascular Research Initiatives Conference (VRIC) is designed to encourage interaction between vascular surgeon investigators and scientists from other vascular biology -...
These are hard times for the United States. Our economy is floundering. Unemployment is high. Bankers and financiers seem to be getting away with...
Welcome to our December Online issue. I hope you all have a happy holiday season and as prosperous a new year as Congress will...
A vascular surgeon friend from the Midwest recently stopped by my office here in Southern California. His visit gave me a chance to compare...
The modern SVS is a vibrant blend of two rich historical and co-evolving traditions – the original SVS and the American Association for Vascular...
Membership
• SVS membership totals 3,532 vascular surgeons and other medical professionals dedicated to vascular health
• SVS has 206 international members from 47 countries with...
The Society for Vascular Surgery Patient Safety Organization (SVS PSO) is now listed by AHRQ, on behalf of the Secretary of the U.S. Department...
President
Richard Cambria, MD
President-Elect
Peter Gloviczki, MD
Vice President
Julie Ann Freischlag, MD
Secretary
John Ricotta, MD
Treasurer
Clement Darling, MD
Past President
Robert Zwolak, MD
Clinical Practice Council Chair
Ruth Bush, MD
Education Council Chair
John Eidt,...
Historical video interviews with leaders including Dr. Michael DeBakey, Dr. Harry Schumacker, Jr., and Dr. Frank Veith may be viewed, downloaded, and are available...
Recently, SVS entered its fifth year of continuous two-week rotations of volunteer service at the U.S. Army’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) in Germany....
Dear SVS Members:
I am extremely proud, albeit somewhat overwhelmed by the scope of its contents, to introduce the 2011 Society for Vascular Surgery Annual...
Since September 2007, civilian Society for Vascular Surgery members have volunteered at America’s largest hospital outside its borders at the U.S. Army’s Landstuhl Regional...
Babak Abai, MD
Christopher M. Abbot, MD
Harry B. Abramowitz, MD
Ali F. AbuRahma, MD
John A. Adeniyi, MD
Donald L. Akers, MD
George Andros, MD
Marvin D. Atkins, Jr., MD
Arthur...
SVS Foundation thanks the following corporations and societies for their generous contributions made from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011
• Atrium
• American College...
The Hobson Resident Research Fund was established by the New Jersey Medical School Vascular Alumni in honor of Robert Hobson II, MD, for his...
"I was fortunate to have received a clinical research award from the Lifeline Foundation in 2001," said John Blebea, MD, of Cleveland, OH. "The...
The following individuals received SVS Foundation Student Research Fellowships:
Sara Bartlett
Washington University,St. Louis, MO
Julia Glaser
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
Calvin Harberg
University of Wisconsin–Madison...
"Charity begins at home," said SVS Member George Andros, MD, of Los Angeles, CA. "Since SVS is my professional home, I support the future...
It was a poster award that inspired Vivienne Halpern, MD, of Phoenix, AZ, to support vascular research in general and the SVS Foundation in...
Dear Colleague:
To strengthen the Society for Vascular Surgery’s® (SVS) presence in advocacy and continuing education, SVS replaced its foundation, the American Vascular Association® (AVA),...
If our readers have any doubt, all they need do is casually scan the program for the recent VAM in Chicago or examine the...
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) constitute level 1 evidence, which is widely considered the best data upon which to base medical practice. This is particularly...
The SVS Young Surgeons Advisory Committee has developed three practice memos on various topics to assist young vascular surgeons in their first few years...
The SVS® Foundation and the Society for Vascular Surgery® (SVS) Awards were presented at the opening SVS session of the 2011 Vascular Annual Meeting.
Photo...
Fellows, residents, and students representing six regions of the country teamed up to compete in a lively game of vascular surgery jeopardy on Friday,...
The Society for Vascular Surgery membership has approved the following list of 142 new members (89 Active, 13 Affiliate, and 40 International):
Active
Oliver Aalami, MD
Christopher...
During his address, outgoing SVS President Robert M. Zwolak, MD, PhD, took the opportunity to inspire incoming students and residents, to commend the Society...
Richard P. Cambria, MD, of Massachusetts was elected 2011-2012 President of SVS on June 17, 2011, during the Vascular Annual Meeting® in Chicago, Illinois....
On Friday, June 17, nearly 100 general surgery residents and medical students participated in the Resident/Student Surgical Skills Competition where trainees performed an end-side...
A moderated poster competition took place at the 2011 Vascular Annual Meeting. Accepted abstracts selected by the SVS Program Committee for poster presentation went...
Chinese vascular surgeons were well represented at the 2011 Vascular Annual Meeting. A group of 23, headed by Professor YuQi Wang, President of Chinese...
At the Distinguished Fellows Luncheon on June 18, 12 members were approved as Distinguished Fellows. Distinguished Fellow designation is bestowed upon Active, International, or...
The Society for Vascular Surgery Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Wesley Moore at this year’s Vascular Annual Meeting.
The SVS Lifetime Achievement Award...
CHICAGO – Vascular surgery trainees are increasingly turning to online texts for clinical information and seek more training on the business aspects of vascular...
September 9 - 10, 2011
InterContinental Chicago O'Hare Hotel
Rosemont, IL
Register Now.
Society for Vascular Surgery® (SVS) is pleased to introduce the first Comprehensive Vascular Review Course....
Register today for Challenges in Vascular Surgery 2011: Coding and Reimbursement for Vascular Surgeons, September 30 - October 1, Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, Chicago, IL....
In the weeks leading up to 2011 Vascular Annual Meeting®, June 16-18, in Chicago, the Find the AAAnswers public education program conducted a media...
BOCA RATON, FLA. – Coexisting subspecialty fellowship programs have at most only minimal adverse impact on general surgery residency training operative volumes, according to...
In December 2010, Society for Vascular Surgery® (SVS) joined Facebook and Linkedin. SVS already had an established presence on Twitter and YouTube. The impact...
Each month, the Society for Vascular Surgery® (SVS) submits two vascular health press releases to more than 5,300 consumer media representatives nationwide. The press...
Ernest Stanley Crawford (1922-1992) was an internationally renowned cardiovascular surgeon whose greatest technical work involved innovative surgical techniques in the treatment of complex aortic...
With this issue, we begin a new column which we have chosen to call Residents' Forum. We hope that Vascular Residents, Fellows, and others...
As we strive to provide the most advanced care possible to our patients with vascular disease, there is one area of our practice that...
From 10:00 a.m. until noon on Thursday, June 6 at McCormick Place, Lakeside Center in Chicago, the SVS Vascular Annual Meeting® will feature the...
Foot Health Awareness Month provided an ideal opportunity for the presidents of SVS and the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) to jointly promote vascular...
Professional football legend Joe Theismann will speak at noon on Saturday, June 18 at the Vascular Annual Meeting® in Room 354b. Due to his...
Visit Vascular Annual Meeting to view abstracts for the 2011 Vascular Annual Meeting®, taking place June 16-18 in Chicago. Abstracts have been posted for...
New Program Format
The Vascular Annual Meeting Program Committee has announced several new changes for this year's meeting including condensing the meeting into three days....
Dr. Michael Ellis DeBakey, pioneer heart surgeon and medical device innovator, died July 11, 2008, in Houston, about 2 months shy of his 100th...
