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Peripheral Vascular problems are defined as any disease of the circulation excluding the arteries of the heart and those inside the brain. They include poor circulation from blockages or narrowing of arteries, pending stroke, and aneurysms, which are weak areas in arteries. Common disorders of the venous circulation such as varicose veins and venous leg ulcers are also covered.
You can think of the circulatory system as a closed system, with the heart pumping nutrient and oxygen enriched blood to all the cells of the body via the arteries. Veins carry the oxygen depleted, waste enriched blood back to the heart then lungs where it is purified. This pumping generate a wave-like surge of blood that we can feel by checking our pulse. At the level of the cell, blood flow is very slow allowing living cells to absorb the oxygen and nutrients, and to deposit their waste products into the capillaries. The capillaries, very thin vessels representing the transformation from small arteries (arterioles) into small veins (veinules), merge together and enlarge to become the smallest veins called venules. While arteries continuously branch to smaller and smaller arterioles as they run away from the heart, veins merge into larger and larger vessels as they return towards the heart. In each case the flow is in one direction and there are unidirectional valves in the veins to prevent 'back flow' or reflux. This is particularly important in the legs, where the returning blood has a long 'uphill climb' and should be kept moving in that direction.The surgeon, Dr. Hamid Nasser adds his input based on his Canadian experience. Patients with a vascular problem who would like to be seen by the surgeon, can fill the online questionnaire but they need to be referred by their family physician.
