DORSET
COUNTY
VASCULAR GROUP
Informed Choice in the NHS and Private Health
This area of the website is designed to provide rapid access to up to date information on vascular disease for healthcare professionals, with guidance for community care and referral.
We hope you find these pages useful, we appreciate there will always be questions that remain unanswered and we will always try to answer your questions either by email, fax or telephone, you will find this information in the 'Contact Us' menu. In a case of emergency or if there is a need for very urgent advice please use the duty vascular phone which is contactable through the Dorset County Hospital Switchboard or out of hours the on call vascular surgeon for the region. We always encourage feedback both on our website and our general service via the feedback email address provided.
Information for Medical Professionals
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
AAA screening is now being roled out across the region inviting 65 year old men for a USS of the aorta. Patients can contact the screening programme if they ar greater than 65 and wish to have a scan.
Claudication
Risk factor modification remains the mainstay of treatment for the majority of patients with claudication symptoms. Without smoking cessation, intervention is likely to only temporarily successful. Walkng beyond the onset of pain help to establish collaterals.
Critical Ischaemia
Whilst risk factor modification remains an important part of treatment patients presenting with rest pain and or tissue loss should be referred urgently. We will aim to see all such patients in our next clinic or as an emergency.
Diabetic Foot
Whilst risk factor modification remains an important part of treatment patients presenting with active ulceration should be referred urgently to the diabetic foot MDT. We will aim to see all such patients in the next clinic or as an emergency.
Mixed Aetiology Ulceration
Ulceration without critial ischaemia or diabetes which does not make rapid progress though healing should be referred early to our choose and book complex ulcer clinic where a thorough assessment of the ulcer and a treatment plan will be initiated.
Raynauds Disease
Input from the rhaumatological service should be sort first to ensure that medical management is optomised. Vascular management includes prostacyclin infusion and sympathectomy.
Temporal Arteritis
If there is diagnostic uncertaintly Rheumatologists maybe able to give advice which enables avoidance of temporal artery biopsy. Whilst the biopsy is a straight forward local anaesthetic procedure, risk of nerve injury have lead to a push to reduce the number undertaken. If a biopsy result will change managment, ie discontinuation of treatment with a normal result or starting of treatment please refer urgently and we will aim to perform the biopsy on our next elective list.
Varicose Veins
A comprehensive assesment and treatment plan will be provided for all varicose vein patients referred to our one stop varicose vein outpatient clinic. We offer a range of treatment options including endovenous ablation.
News //
Approval for Endovenous Ablative treatment of Varicose veins by CCG.
November 4, 2013
For the first time in the region NHS patients are given the choice of the minimally invasive ablative treatment of Varicose veins and Dorset County Hospital.
Venous One Stop Clinics Launched at Dorset County Hospital.
October 12, 2013
Patients with varicose veins are now offered a one stop service to assess, investigate and decide on the management of their venous disease.