Vascular Disease

Diseases of the vascular system entail any condition that affects the circulatory system of the body.  This ranges from diseases of arteries, veins, and lymph vessels, to blood disorders that affect circulation.  Certainly, the topic is immense and beyond the scope of this tutorial for a 3rd-year medical student rotating through Ambulatory Surgery.  Even a fellow would have his hands full keeping up with the ever changing field of Vascular Surgery, as new and improved methods of dealing with disease are changing, even at this very moment.  In addition, most significant forms of disease are typically left for the specialized vascular surgeons, who are not typically encountered until the in-patient surgical experience.

However, certain fundamental forms of disease are seen and dealt with by general surgeons, even in an ambulatory setting, everyday.  Knowledge of their etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment (as well as prevention), is an important part of the armamentarium of every medical student, and will be valuable to them, regardless of their current rotation.