There are many reasons that your doctor may refer you to a vascular surgeon. Maybe you have been experiencing unexpectedly high blood pressure and are at risk of incurring damage to your cardiovascular system. Perhaps you have a pre-existing condition — such as diabetes — that makes you more susceptible to developing a vascular disease. Or maybe your concern is more of a cosmetic nature; spider veins on the legs, for example, are a common condition that can be easily remedied by a vascular professional.
If you’ve never visited a vascular surgeon before, or any type of medical specialist, you might be wondering what the process entails. While each surgeon will have a slightly different approach, all tend to follow the same basic process, which enables them to gather all the information needed to make a diagnosis and plan appropriate treatment.
As vascular surgeons are specialists, you will need a referral from a general practitioner to make an appointment. Your first step is therefore visiting your doctor to speak about your concerns.
If they believe you could benefit from specialist assistance, they will then provide you with an official referral, which you can use to book an appointment.
Your next step is to find a surgeon. Your GP may have a local vascular specialist that they work closely with. Otherwise, consider asking friends and family for recommendations. Vascular conditions are fairly common and it’s likely that someone in your immediate circle has seen a surgeon before.
You can also do your own research online. Many vascular surgeons operate out of multiple locations and find a website to be the most useful way of letting prospective patients know the types of services they offer and how they can get in touch.
Once you have chosen a surgeon, it’s time to make an appointment. Regardless of the severity of your condition, you will most likely require a consultative meeting so that the surgeon can accurately assess what is wrong and provide you with treatment options.
You will need to bring your doctor’s referral to this appointment and be prepared to answer questions about your health history and current concerns. It’s a good idea to also come to the appointment with an understanding as to the out-of-pocket costs.This type of information can often be found on the surgeon’s website or by calling their practice.
By the conclusion of this appointment, you should have an action plan in place for how you are going to treat your health concerns.
Vascular surgeons treat a variety of conditions, from the quite minor (spider veins, for example) to the potentially life-threatening (such as aortic aneurysms). As such, your treatment may only involve one simple procedure in the surgeon’s rooms, or could require admission to a hospital.
Before undergoing any type of vascular treatment, it’s important that you have all the information you need to ensure an effective rehabilitation process. The type of questions you might want to ask your vascular surgeon include:
The nature of vascular conditions means that it’s very important for your surgeon to complete post-operative checks, particularly if you’ve undergone serious surgery. These checks enable the surgeon to confirm that the procedure has gone according to plan or alternatively, recommend further treatment if required.
Above all, when visiting a vascular surgeon, you should expect to have your concerns listened to and acted upon. Qualities to look for in your surgeon include experience treating a variety of vascular conditions, the ability to explain complex matters in simple terms, and a friendly, professional manner. While vascular conditions can be concerning, a good physician will be able to provide an efficient diagnosis and proactive treatment options — expect nothing less from your surgeon!
