The specialty of vascular surgery includes diagnosis and management of problems with the arteries and veins. Most circulatory problems may be treated with diet, medications and exercise, but more advanced or dangerous conditions may require angioplasty or surgery.
Arteriosclerosis can cause a variety of conditions.
Partial or complete blockage of the arteries in the legs may cause a range of symptoms as minor as leg fatigue with walking or as severe as gangrene. Similar problems with the arteries to the head and arms may cause symptoms of temporary or permanent strokes, dizziness, fainting spells, unsteady walking or arm tiredness. Some significant vascular conditions can go unnoticed until disaster strikes. Enlargement or ballooning of the largest artery in the body, the aorta, is called an aneurysm. Aortic aneurysms can exist without any sign until they burst, causing massive bleeding and often death.