The Role of Vascular Surgeons in Managing Wound Problems
Chronic wounds are probably one of the most underrated medical conditions in the world, but it deserves as much attention as other diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. With more than 6.5 million Americans affected by a chronic wound and the expenses of chronic wound treatment increasing rapidly each year, the need for proper wound care treatment has never been more important than it is today.
One of the most important members of any wound care team is the vascular surgeon. Vascular surgeons are specialists in diagnosing, managing and treating various health conditions affecting the arteries and veins. These practitioners deal with different problems related to the blood vessels—from varicose veins to aneurysms—but they also play a crucial role in managing chronic wounds.
Vascular Surgeons are an Integral Part of a Wound Management Team
There was a time when patients with chronic wounds didn’t get the proper care and treatment that they needed only because most medical practitioners are not part of their wound management team. Wound care was usually delegated to nurses and other healthcare professionals, but the medical staff didn’t play as much of a role in the actual management of the chronic wound.
While nurses are good at wound dressing and debridement and they have the skills needed to aid the patient during their wound healing journey, a medical practitioner like a vascular surgeon is still needed to assess the wound and address its causes to make sure that proper treatment is given to the patient.
Vascular surgeons play that crucial role because they are the ones who address any abnormalities in the patient’s vascular system, which can delay wound healing and cause other health problems in the future.
Vascular Surgeons take care of Vascular Problems to Speed up Wound Healing
Having a chronic wound is already frustrating, but it becomes worse for a patient when they also need to deal with existing arterial or venous diseases that are as bothersome as the wound itself. For instance, arterial issues result in insufficient tissue oxygenation and insufficient blood supply, which can delay wound healing and even predispose a patient to develop ulcers. This also goes the same with venous diseases where prompt diagnosis and treatment is important in speeding up wound healing and preventing the recurrence of foot ulcers in the future.
Vascular Surgeons Collaborate with other Healthcare Practitioners
Wound care is a collaboration of different healthcare practitioners who address the issues that contribute to delayed wound healing.
Since most chronic wounds are caused by vascular problems, the vascular surgeon collaborates with other healthcare practitioners in developing the right management plan for the patient to get the best prognosis possible.
With the growing need for efficient wound management to lower the costs that come with the incidence of chronic wounds and reduce the number of people affected by it, taking the interdisciplinary approach is the best route for healthcare practitioners to address the issue.
We specialize in diagnosis and treatment for any and all vascular health issues for patients in San Diego County, Orange County, and Riverside County. For more information or to set an appointment, please contact us.
