In March 2023, the Vascular Specialist stories grabbing readers’ attention were a response to a February letter addressing vascular surgeons’ use of social media; an interview with an advocate for more carefully considered use of venous stents; the publication of the PROMISE II trial results; and a letter from the SVS President, urging members to work more closely together to further the specialty’s common goals.
1. Letter to the editor: The vascular influencer
W. Michael Park, MD, responds to Jean Bismuth, MD, and Jonathan Cardella, MD, “[agreeing] with their point that many of these posts are made by mediocre practitioners who display only the best and curated images” but expresses his “[discomfort] with the feeling that [he] may be one of those people being castigated for over-exposure on social media”.
2. ABCs for the treatment of lower-extremity acute DVTs
Ashish Gupta, MD, shares his deep vein thrombosis (DVT) ABCs—A is for “anticoagulation” for not more than six months of duration; B is for “Be active, Be ambulatory”; and C is for “Consider compression stockings or ace wraps”.
3. Corner Stitch: What I wish I had known in vascular training
From the vantage point of six months into his first attending position, J. Aaron Barnes, MD, pens his best pieces of advice for newly matched vascular trainees—”I wish I had known as a trainee that I would eventually understand the method to the madness.”
4. Venous stenting: ‘We need to evaluate use, appropriateness and clinical indication’
In an interview with Vascular Specialist during the recent American Venous Forum (AVF) meeting (San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 22–25), Karem Harth, MD, said the increase in use of venous stents was “not surprising but did highlight a number of areas in need of evaluation”.
5. SVS, ACS launch quality verification program
The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS) have launched the “Vascular Verification Program (Vascular-VP),” an ACS Quality Program developed in partnership with the SVS.
6. Results from PROMISE II pivotal trial published
Results from the PROMISE II pivotal trial investigating transcatheter arterialization of the deep veins using the LimFlow system in so-called no-option chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) patients have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).
7. Distal embolic protection linked to significantly better outcomes in carotid stenting
Distal embolic protection using a filter has been associated with improved transfemoral carotid artery stenting (tfCAS) outcomes in terms of in-hospital stroke and death risks—underpinning current Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) guidelines recommending routine use of distal embolic protection during carotid stenting.
8. Four decades of AAAs in the US: Rare epidemiological study establishes women are diagnosed and repaired 10 years later than men
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) diagnosis and repair occurs among women almost 10 years later than in men—with similar age-adjusted mortality. The finding is part of a rare U.S. population-based study of AAA trends, spanning nearly 40 years.
9. Bioprosthetic venous valve: ‘We want to know that this is really working’
A key investigator in efforts to tackle chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) with an bioprosthetic venous valve replacement talks about progress being made with surgical and endovascular versions of the device—and surgical community skepticism.
10. From the SVS president: Supporting one another
Michael C. Dalsing, MD, Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) President considers the importance of “[rededicating] ourselves to supporting one another, focusing in a unified manner to address the very real challenges that surround us”.
