VISIT TO THE CLINIC
A visit to the clinic in 3 steps
Every vascular surgery patient constitutes a separate case, which requires a thorough clinical examination as well as the use of special diagnostic techniques. The correct and timely diagnosis of the vascular problem at the first visit, will lead to the application of the appropriate treatment as well as to the avoidance of expensive and many times unnecessary examinations.
Depending on the type of condition, the improvement of symptoms can be immediate or gradual, but in every case the follow-up is extremely important for the full recovery of the patient.
Step 1
The patient fills in a printed document, in which details such as their history, their symptoms, their previous surgical operations, the current medication as well as their accompanying conditions are recorded. The purpose of the document is for the vascular surgeon to obtain an accurate picture of the cardiovascular profile of the patient, in order to offer an appropriate and individualized treatment.
Step 2
After the completion of the document the evaluation of the symptoms follows through the clinical examination and the ultrasound check. These include the examination of the pulses, the measurement of blood pressure, the measurement of the ankle-brachial index and the ultrasound check of the carotids. Depending on the nature of the condition, the colleagues of the hemodynamic laboratory of the Medical Center or the vascular surgeon himself will conduct a specialized ultrasound check.
Step 3
Having an overall picture of the problem, the vascular surgeon will discuss with the patient the nature and the severity of the disease as well as will plan the therapeutic treatment. In specific conditions (e.g. aortic aneurysm, peripheral arterial disease, diabetic foot, carotid disease) the patient will need to undergo an additional CT or MRI vascular scan if they do not have a recent one, before the final planning of the treatment. In this case, the vascular surgeon will communicate with the patient or a free follow-up visit of the patient to the Clinic will follow.
The goal of the vascular surgeon is for the patient to obtain a complete picture of their problem, to understand the therapeutic treatment or the type of surgery that is proposed to them and to develop a relationship of trust with their attending physician.
Due to the complexity of vascular conditions and particularly of endovascular minimally invasive techniques, the patient will receive after the completion of all examinations a detailed document with their cardiovascular history, the current diagnosis, the results of the clinical, laboratory and imaging examinations as well as the proposed treatment. This document will allow the complete information of the patient and their family physician as well as the excellent cooperation between the various medical specialties, basic prerequisites of the safe and effective application of the modern vascular surgery specialty.
