New data underscore physician experience levels required to derive benefit from transfemoral carotid artery stenting

Data from a new study that maps out the levels at which adverse postoperative events decrease following transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TfCAS) based on depth of physician experience with the procedure represent an “absolute minimum threshold of learning,” the lead…
New analysis points to lack of vascular surgical voices in news coverage of vascular disease

A new study set to be aired at the 2024 Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery (SCVS) annual meeting (March 16–20) in Scottsdale, Arizona, sheds a statistical spotlight on the state of the specialty’s reach into the mainstream consciousness. A team…
Beyond ‘do better’: New year reflections from a vascular surgery trainee

The new year is a time for reflection. It is also an opportunity to rededicate, or if needed, reinvent ourselves. Vascular surgery training is long, at least five to seven years for most of us. Most of our reflection happens…
Corner Stitch: On the vascular trainee opportunities on the conference calendar

Christopher Audu, MD, surveys the 2024 meeting landscape, highlighting prime opportunities for trainees to showcase their research. It is abstract submission, and this month I wanted to highlight a few national meetings that are “trainee friendly” for getting your work…
SCVS president becomes chair of American Board of Surgery

The American Board of Surgery (ABS) has named Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery (SCVS) President M. Ashraf Mansour, MBBS, as its 2023–24 chair. He was nominated to the ABS by the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery (APDVS) in…
A vascular mission: Defying assumptions in the fight against amputation in disadvantaged areas

Lyssa Ochoa, MD, is used to the assumptions. One: ”What a nice program you have.” Another: “It must be so nice that you can give away all of this charity care.” Ochoa is the founding vascular surgeon behind the SAVE…
Robotic surgery: ‘We’ve missed the boat on this,’ says Houston vascular chief

An emerging program at Houston Methodist aims to help prod those practicing in the vascular surgical space deeper into the field of robotic surgery. The first ah-ha during a talk at a national meeting being given by one of the…
Initial case series indicates lithotripsy can help TCAR expand into high-risk patients

Lithotripsy may hold the key to enabling more carotid artery disease patients who require calcification treatment to undergo stent placement via a transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) procedure, as per single-center experiences presented at the recent Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery…
Tackling health insecurity ‘from the top down and the bottom up’

The feeling of being “uncertain, anxious and vulnerable” defines a creeping health insecurity problem riddling parts of the U.S. patient population—demographics who are underserved and at higher risk of outcomes such as amputation. And they can be a barrier to…
SCVS 2023: DAPT linked to better post-TCAR outcomes versus other drug regimens

Recent data presentations have revealed reduced risks of stroke and mortality among transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) patients who receive dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT)—both preoperatively and at discharge—as compared to other drug regimens. Researchers believe these findings underscore the importance of…

