Angiology and vascular surgery deals with diseases of the veins, arteries and lymphatic system. The most common venous conditions are chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins, venous thrombosis and leg ulcers. Arterial diseases usually affect patients with cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, diabetes and hypercholesterolaemia, and they reduce the blood supply to the body's structures as the arteries become progressively obstructed.
Treatments
What conditions do we treat?
Venous diseases
These are the conditions covered by the subspecialty known as PHLEBOLOGY. Phlebology is a medical and surgical subspecialty within angiology and vascular surgery that covers the study, treatment and prevention of diseases affecting the venous system. Venous disease can cause numerous symptoms and signs, the most common being heavy legs and the appearance of varicose veins. These conditions are very common in our society and affect both men and women: more than 50% of people aged 50 and over may show some sign of venous insufficiency. They can present in very different ways, ranging from varicose veins in the legs (dilated venous cords that bulge above the skin of the legs) to unsightly dilated capillaries or spider veins, which usually affect the thighs and legs. In very advanced cases, leg ulcers and wounds may develop; these often take a long time to heal and can be very disabling.
Arterial diseases
These are conditions in which the arteries, which are responsible for supplying blood, deteriorate as a result of obstruction or dilation.
These diseases usually affect older people, who often have cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, smoking, diabetes and hypercholesterolaemia. They are potentially serious diseases that can threaten life and the viability of the lower limbs. As there are arteries throughout the body, complications can affect different organs.
Lipoedema and lymphatic diseases
Lymphatic disorders are diseases that affect the lymphatic system, a network of vessels and nodes that helps to drain fluid from the tissues, remove waste substances and take part in the immune defence of the body.
When this system is disrupted, there may be a build-up of fluid in the tissues (lymphoedema), inflammation of the lymphatic vessels (lymphangitis) or enlargement of the lymph nodes (lymphadenitis). These disorders may be congenital or acquired, and they often appear after infections, surgery, injuries or medical treatments such as radiotherapy.
Lipoedema is a chronic disease of the fatty tissue characterised by an abnormal and disproportionate accumulation of subcutaneous fat, mainly in the legs and, in some cases, the arms, that does not match the rest of the body
Diagnosis and treatment depend on the type of disease and may include physical measures, medical treatment or specialised procedures to improve lymphatic drainage and reduce symptoms.