The role of vascular surgeons in trauma

[johnny_blaze]

Hello everyone,

I was just curious as to what role the vascular surgeon plays in the treatment of the trauma victim. Do vascular surgeons take majority of the trauma cases in areas without a large or moderate sized trauma surgical team (compared to other GS subspecialties). I know CT and neurosurgeons usually take on trauma in their related anatomical areas, but I’m curious about trauma to things like the neck, abdomen, and extremities… areas GS would usually tend to.

I’m considering this field as a career and I would like the opportunity to manage patients on a ward, run clinics, and occasionally deal with some emergencies (other than just leaking AAAs and acute limb ischemia)

Any info would help, Thanks guys

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[supercut]

That depends on where you are.

I went to medical school at one where the program includes one of the bigger name trauma centers. There the trauma surgeons did all the vascular trauma. I can't imagine how vascular would have reacted to being called in...probably pretty badly. Trauma surgeons are trained to handle vasuclar (as well as thoracic) trauma.

However, at my current program, where trauma just isn't very busy, it's also part of the institutional culture for things to be very strictly subdivided. Thus, vascular is called in for any vascular trauma, and in fact would be insulted if they weren't called.

However, overall, there just ain't that much vascular trauma anyway.