“What are the risks involved in a vascular surgery?”
My mother is 67-year-old diabetic patient. Due to some damage to her nerves, a doctor has advised her to have vascular surgery. What are the risks involved in such a surgery?
11 Answers
Must be seen by vascular specialist meaning a vascular surgeon. Control all your risk factors. Diet and exercise are critical. Along with care of your feet on a daily basis.
I’m not sure a damage to her nerves, assuming that you refer to peripheral neuropathy, is an indication for vascular surgery. A vascular intervention could be necessary if the patient has a non-healing ulcer or wounds in her foot, pain at rest and sometimes pain upon walking located at the calf, thigh, or buttock.
Depends on the type of surgery.
Vascular surgery does not treat nerve damage. I'm not certain what this physician is doing.
The risks of various vascular procedures are inherent to the the procedure. General risks of general anesthesia in this population of patients include heart attack, stroke, and pneumonia. Also, no one epuld advise a vascular surgical procedure due to nerve damage. I think you need a better explanation of the problem and the proposed solution.
Diabetics usually have “nerve” problems in their feet - burning, loss of feeling - a vascular surgeon does not operate for nerve damage alone. Ask him/ her to be more specific.
Minimal
There are many vascular surgeries including artery and vein procedures. Each surgery comes with it's own risks. It is difficult to know what type of surgery your mother's physician has recommended for her. I would advise her to call her surgeon to inquire about the risks specifically associated with her surgery.
Risk is procedure related and also patient dependent. Patients with diabetes do have a higher risk for procedures than for non-diabetic procedures. Be sure you and she understand why the surgery is indicated and what to expect from the operation.
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It all depends on the nature of the procedure. Most of the procedures on high risk patients could be done under sedation and local anesthesia so are relatively safe.
Vascular surgery has no primary role in treating diabetic neuropathy. What risks are involved in any operation to treat vascular disease depends on which operation the patient is having. Most patients with vascular disease are older(60+) and most have heart disease. The most common complication from surgery in a diabetic patient is heart attack in the perioperarive period. Pneumonia and wound infection are also risks. See a cardiologist for preoperative cardiac assessment. Get out of the hospital as soon as possible.
