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Home > Medical Professionals > SVS Vascular Health Podcasts > Vascular Specialty Topics

Vascular Specialty Topics

This series of podcasts is a resource for vascular specialists and other health care professionals. The podcasts are available in two file formats - Windows Media  (WMV) and Quicktime video (MOV). 

To play the podcasts from this Web site, simply click on the links below (WMV or MOV). The MOV files are much larger and take longer to download; you may want to download the MOV files directly to your computer prior to playing. 

To download the files to your computer:

1. Right-click over the link and select "Save Target As"
2. Choose the file location on your computer to store the file
3. Double-click the file to view through your computer, or drag into your portable player's software (such as iTunes)

What is Vascular Surgery?

WMV | MOV
In 1986, Dr. Juan Parodi revolutionized the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms by treating these with a stent/graft combination. This singular change resulted in a complete re-focusing of vascular surgery into minimally invasive endovascular treatments. The entire vascular surgery workforce was retrained in the early 1990s to include minimally invasive treatments as a routine part of vascular surgery.

What’s in a Name?

WMV | MOV
A nation-wide survey of more than 1,000 adults found a low level of understanding of vascular disease in general and an even lower level of recognition of vascular surgeons. Only 70 percent correctly understood that a vascular problem was related to blood vessels and the circulation, slightly more than half had heard of a doctor who specialized in vascular problems. But when asked to name that vascular specialist, 39 percent identified him as a cardiologist and only 17 percent responded with vascular surgeon.

Shortage of Vascular Surgeons

WMV | MOV
The current worldwide financial crisis is a stark example of what happens when there is lack of oversight and inattention to long-term planning. A similar storm is rapidly brewing in health care, especially for patients with vascular disease. There are 76 million baby boomers, individuals born between 1946 and 1964. By 2030, all baby boomers will have reached 65 years of age, and one-fifth of our United States citizens will be over age 65. Unfortunately, there will not be enough physicians to treat them.

Report from the Vascular Surgery Board

WMV | MOV
This podcast reports on recent activities of the Vascular Surgery Board.

What the SVS is Doing for You?

WMV | MOV
The Society for Vascular Surgery is the main organization representing vascular surgeons in the world. As such, it remains an important force for vascular surgery, not only in the United States but also in the rest of the vascular world.

The Role of Diversity in Vascular Surgery

WMV | MOV
When I trained in vascular surgery 30 years ago, most of my patients were white males. Most of the vascular surgeons in practice at that time were almost exclusively white males. My practice has changed dramatically over the years. In my current practice in Texas, 30 percent of my patients are Hispanic, 30 percent are African-American and half are women. I am also beginning to see an increasing number of Asians with vascular disease. Now White males are the minority.

Maintenance of Certification

WMV | MOV
This podcast is an in-depth discussion of the on-going learning and improvement program for vascular surgeons.

Medicare Reimbursement

WMV | MOV
The majority of reimbursements for vascular practices originates with CMS. This accounts for 50 to 75 percent of income for most Society for Vascular Surgery® members. Therefore it is important to understand the issues relating to Medicare fee schedules, policies and payments.

2008 Women’s Leadership Retreat

WMV | MOV
The first Women’s Leadership Retreat, sponsored by the SVS Women’s Issues Committee, focused on strategic career building. With more and more women entering the medical field, these types of retreats become more important to advancing the careers of women.

Evolution of the Society for Vascular Surgery

WMV | MOV
In December of 1945 Dr. Ross Veal and six other surgeons met in Hot Springs, Virginia at the Southern Surgical Association to discuss the formation of an organization devoted to vascular surgery. Surgical approaches to cardiovascular disease were in their infancy and there was great excitement around the surgical treatment of vascular problems. This paper describes the history that has lead to the Society for Vascular Surgery®.

Profile of a Famous Vascular Surgeon: Juan C. Parodi

WMV | MOV
In 1975, a 33 year-old resident at the Cleveland Clinic began a friendship with an 82 year old patient. The patient was recovering from an open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) procedure, and his recovery was protracted. His suffering inspired the young resident to dream about a less-invasive way to repair these aneurysms. Fifteen years later, that same physician, Juan C. Parodi, accomplished what he had envisioned years earlier; he repaired an abdominal aortic aneurysm using an intraluminal graft that was placed through a less invasive transfemoral approach.

Additional Topics
 

Vascular Specialty Topics | Vascular Residency Topics | Peripheral Arterial Disease | Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Carotid Arterial Disease | Varicose Veins | Deep Vein Thrombosis | Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms
Vascular Disease Treatments | Penetrating Ulcers of the Aorta | Podcast Home Page