Current Vascular Roadmap

About Current Vascular Roadmap

Current Vascular Roadmap is a daily briefing on new vascular surgery and venous disease literature, curated from PubMed, distilled into practice, relevant takeaways, and delivered in under 30 minutes. Built for vascular surgeons and the clinicians who work alongside them. Educational content for healthcare professionals; not medical advice.

Publisher

Dr. MO

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

24 Aug 2026

Latest episode

4 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

19 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   4 Nov 2026

   Episode 18: The Below-Knee Trap in Claudication

   In this episode: a striking but confounded link between GLP-1 drugs and aneurysm rupture, why insulin-dependent diabetes erases much of the low-risk advantage of an asymptomatic carotid, how below-knee intervention for claudication sets up later amputation, a purpose-built stent for inferior vena cava obstruction, and a nerve block that speeds wrist fistula maturation. Aortic disease: In a matched cohort of over 27,000 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm, GLP-1 receptor agonist use was linked to fewer ruptures, repairs, cardiac events, and deaths; the large mortality gap points to healthy-user bias, so a randomized trial is needed. Go CC, et al. GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Decrease the Rate of Rupture, Cardiac Events, and Death in Patients with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42957066/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42957066/) Carotid disease: In over 275,000 carotid procedures, insulin-dependent diabetes raised early and one-year cardiac events and death, so asymptomatic insulin users carried risk similar to symptomatic patients without diabetes. Suggitt JO, et al. Insulin Dependence Erodes the Cardiac and Survival Advantage of Asymptomatic Status After Carotid Revascularization. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42946071/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42946071/) Peripheral arterial disease: In nearly 93,000 limbs treated for claudication, any below-knee intervention at the first procedure was linked to more progression to limb-threatening ischemia, more repeat procedures, and more than double the odds of major amputation. Suri G, et al. Index Below-Knee Endovascular Intervention for Intermittent Claudication Is Associated with Increased Amputation Risk. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42962862/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42962862/) Venous disease: A prospective international single-arm trial of a dedicated venous stent for inferior vena cava obstruction, with or without iliofemoral extension, met its 12-month patency and safety goal in three quarters of patients and reduced pain (89 patients). Desai K, et al. Safety and Effectiveness of the GORE VIABAHN FORTEGRA Venous Stent for the Treatment of Symptomatic Inferior Vena Cava Obstruction With or Without Combined Iliofemoral Obstruction. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg (Impact Factor 6.8). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42977066/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42977066/) Dialysis access: Ultrasound-guided nerve block for radiocephalic fistula creation dilated the artery and vein, increased flow, and sped two-month maturation versus local anesthesia (163 patients, retrospective). Wen J, et al. Ultrasound-guided selective nerve block promotes perioperative vascular remodeling and early maturation of radiocephalic arteriovenous fistulas. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42951048/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42951048/)

2. 

   25 Oct 2026

   Episode 17: Reading the Plaque, Not Just the Narrowing

   In this episode: why type II endoleak reinterventions so often need repeating, how carotid plaque features predict recurrent stroke and may identify who benefits from colchicine, a sirolimus-coated balloon signal in femoropopliteal disease, years-long delays before iliac vein stenting relieves chronic pelvic pain, and what to do with a fistula after kidney transplantation. Aortic disease: In 403 first reinterventions for type II endoleak across 20 centers, early results were safe, but the endoleak recurred in nearly two-thirds by five years; open treatment was more durable, and a sac of 7 cm or more predicted further procedures. Falso R, et al. Early and follow-up results of reinterventions for type 2 endoleak following endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (EVAR): the multicenter RETE study. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42901252/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42901252/) Carotid disease: In 510 CONVINCE participants, higher-risk CT angiography plaque scores predicted recurrent ipsilateral stroke and cardiovascular events, and colchicine's benefit appeared concentrated in high-risk plaque; post hoc, few events. Maes L, et al. Computed-Tomography Angiography-Based Carotid Plaque-RADS, Recurrent Vascular Events, and the Effect of Colchicine: An Imaging Substudy of the CONVINCE Randomized Trial. Stroke (Impact Factor 11.1). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42910427/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42910427/) Peripheral arterial disease: In 597 SirPAD patients with femoropopliteal disease and no tissue loss, sirolimus-coated balloons lowered one-year target-lesion revascularization versus uncoated balloons (17% vs 27%), with fewer limb events; descriptive, one-year data. Tsaftaridis N, et al. Sirolimus-Coated Balloon Angioplasty for Femoropopliteal Artery Disease Without Tissue Loss: A Secondary Analysis of the SirPAD Trial. J Am Coll Cardiol (Impact Factor 22.3). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42909452/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42909452/) Venous disease: In 113 women stented for chronic pelvic pain from iliac vein obstruction, about 80% had full pain resolution at a median of seven years; those who saw two or more specialists first waited over eight years for diagnosis. Larkin TA, et al. Differences in Clinical Presentation of Chronic Pelvic Pain Caused by Iliac Vein Obstruction Impacts Referral Pathway, Time to Diagnosis, and Post-stenting Pain Resolution. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg (Impact Factor 8.5). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42887643/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42887643/) Dialysis access: A Vascular Access Society and European Kidney Transplant Association position paper recommends individualized decisions on ligating or preserving fistulas after transplantation, guided by Doppler flow and cardiac assessment. Akin B, et al. Vascular access management after kidney transplantation position paper on behalf of the Vascular Access Society and the European Kidney Transplant Association. J Vasc Access (Impact Factor 2.0). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42908338/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42908338/)

3. 

   20 Oct 2026

   Episode 16: Rethinking Blood Thinners After Vein Ablation

   In this episode: early vascular surgery involvement after type A dissection repair, how common carotid near occlusion really is and why hyperperfusion matters, a striking cilostazol signal after leg revascularization, a randomized trial questioning routine anticoagulation after saphenous ablation, and the hidden maintenance cost of dialysis grafts. Aortic disease: Among 241 survivors of acute type A dissection repair, fewer than half had guideline-level imaging follow-up; in-hospital vascular surgery consultation was linked to complete surveillance, earlier detection of aneurysmal degeneration, and more planned secondary interventions. Murphy BE, et al. In-hospital vascular surgery consultation is associated with improved follow-up and earlier identification of aneurysmal degeneration after acute Type A aortic dissection. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42880614/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42880614/) Carotid disease: In 443 patients scheduled for endarterectomy, near occlusion was present in about a third and did not raise pre- or perioperative stroke risk, but hyperperfusion syndrome after surgery was more frequent. Törmänen H, et al. Risk of early stroke recurrence and procedural stroke or death in carotid near occlusion patients scheduled for carotid endarterectomy. J Neurol (Impact Factor 5.4). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42888281/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42888281/) Peripheral arterial disease: In a Taiwanese nationwide matched cohort (5,464 per group), cilostazol after lower-limb revascularization was associated with about half the rate of major adverse limb events, fewer cardiovascular events, and no excess major bleeding; observational, trial needed. Shu-Han Lin D, et al. Cilostazol and Risk of Major Adverse Limb and Cardiovascular Events after Revascularisation for Peripheral Artery Disease. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg (Impact Factor 8.5). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42887644/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42887644/) Venous disease: In the TRAIN randomized trial (354 patients without prior deep vein thrombosis), omitting extended prophylaxis after saphenous radiofrequency ablation was non-inferior to 14 days of rivaroxaban 10 mg for 30-day thrombotic events. Qi Y, et al. Efficacy and Safety of No Thromboprophylaxis after Endovenous Radiofrequency Ablation for Incompetent Saphenous VeiNs: the TRAIN Non-inferiority Randomised Controlled Trial. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg (Impact Factor 8.5). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42880395/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42880395/) Dialysis access: In 871 arm accesses followed over 15 years, secondary patency was excellent, but grafts needed about 4.4 times the maintenance procedures per access-year of autogenous fistulas. Cho S, Joh JH. Reintervention Burden and Patency of Hemodialysis Vascular Access in a 15-Year Single-Center Cohort. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42880613/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42880613/) All studies retrieved via PubMed. Educational content only. Not medical advice. Consult your own clinical judgment and institutional protocols for any individual patient.

4. 

   13 Oct 2026

   Episode 15: The Sex Gap in Complex Aortic Repair

   In this episode: women face higher early risk after fenestrated aortic repair, retinal artery occlusion as an overlooked complication of carotid stenting, foot infection and vein graft narrowing in women after distal bypass, what women with venous pelvic pain actually want from treatment, and how neighborhood disadvantage tracks with dialysis access outcomes. Aortic disease: In 1,651 fenestrated repairs in the UK GLOBALSTAR registry, women had about twice the major complication rate and higher perioperative mortality than men; salvage repairs needed more reinterventions, while octogenarians had acceptable mid-term survival. Guéroult AM, et al. Clinical Messages for Fenestrated Endovascular Aortic Repair from the GLOBALSTAR Registry: Outcomes in Salvage Fenestrated Endovascular Aneurysm Repair, Women, and Octogenarians. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg (Impact Factor 6.8). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42838505/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42838505/) Carotid disease: In nearly 18,000 matched pairs, retinal artery occlusion was rare but more frequent after carotid stenting than endarterectomy, mostly within 72 hours of the procedure. Zaidi Z, et al. Incidence of Retinal Artery Occlusion After Carotid Endarterectomy Versus Carotid Artery Stenting. Retina (Impact Factor 2.1). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42854197/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42854197/) Peripheral arterial disease: After distal vein bypass for chronic limb-threatening ischemia, women had more vein graft stenosis than matched men, concentrated in those with severe preoperative foot infection. Okuda H, et al. Sex-specific association between preoperative foot infection and vein graft stenosis after distal bypass for chronic limb-threatening ischemia. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42855021/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42855021/) Venous disease: Interviews with 21 women with venous-origin chronic pelvic pain showed a broad symptom burden and that patients define success as restored daily function, not pain reduction alone, laying the groundwork for a disease-specific outcome measure. Khilnani NM, et al. Patient-Defined Experience in Venous-Origin Chronic Pelvic Pain: Conceptual Foundation for a Disease-Specific Patient-Reported Outcome Measure. J Vasc Interv Radiol (Impact Factor 3.1). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42863662/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42863662/) Dialysis access: In 77,544 Vascular Quality Initiative patients, those from the most disadvantaged neighborhoods had higher nine-month mortality after access creation, with modest differences in patency by race and area deprivation. Ranjbar K, et al. Association of Race and Socioeconomic Status with Hemodialysis Arteriovenous Access Outcomes. Ann Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 1.6). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42838482/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42838482/)

5. 

   4 Oct 2026

   Episode 14: Groin Recurrence Is Mostly the Old Stump

   In this episode: no survival gain from subacute stent grafting in uncomplicated type B dissection, injury burden rather than repair type driving outcomes in carotid trauma, deep vein arterialization as a real option for no-option limbs, histology showing groin varicose recurrence is mostly residual stump rather than neovascularization, and a smartphone AI app that flags dangerous fistula aneurysms. Aortic disease: In nearly 1,400 International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection patients with uncomplicated type B dissection, subacute stent grafting gave similar 4-year survival to medical therapy alone, with more new dissections within a year of the procedure. Gontarz B, et al. Outcomes of TEVAR for uncomplicated subacute type B aortic dissection in the IRAD registry. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42805273/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42805273/) Carotid disease: In 3,339 carotid injuries in a US national trauma database, neither endovascular versus open repair nor injury mechanism independently predicted stroke or death; overall injury burden did. Haqqani MH, et al. Outcomes Following Endovascular Versus Open Management of Carotid Artery Injuries in the National Trauma Data Bank. Ann Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 1.6). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42790697/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42790697/) Peripheral arterial disease: In a Dutch registry of no-option chronic limb-threatening ischemia, percutaneous deep vein arterialization achieved about 80% limb salvage at one year, but with frequent reinterventions. Stolk DJ, et al. One year outcomes of Percutaneous Deep Vein Arterialization in the Dutch LimFlow Registry. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42810697/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42810697/) Venous disease: Of 203 specimens from redo saphenofemoral surgery, 97% were residual stump tissue and only 3% true neovascularization; duplex and intraoperative impression could not reliably tell them apart. Falkenstein T, et al. Histological Differentiation of Neovascularisation and Residual Veins in Groin Recurrence. Ann Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 1.6). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42829182/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42829182/) Dialysis access: A cloud-based AI app classifying smartphone photos of fistula aneurysms detected nearly all advanced aneurysms identified by masked access specialists; validation is still needed. Dong Z, et al. Cloud-Based AI Application for Classifying Arteriovenous Hemodialysis Vascular Access Aneurysms: Findings from a Masked Multicenter Derivation Cohort Study. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol (Impact Factor 7.0). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42821327/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42821327/) All studies retrieved via PubMed. Educational content only. Not medical advice. Consult your own clinical judgment and institutional protocols for any individual patient.

6. 

   25 Sept 2026

   Episode 13: Paclitaxel Falls Short in Tissue Loss

   In this episode: active smoking doesn't raise early risk after complex aortic stent graft repair, a "sweet spot" for timing symptomatic carotid procedures, drug-coated devices fail to save more limbs in patients with wounds or gangrene, clearing chronic venous obstruction helps stubborn post-thrombotic ulcers heal, and catheters carry a mortality penalty even in the oldest dialysis patients. Aortic disease: In nearly 700 elective fenestrated-branched repairs for complex aneurysms, active smokers had no higher 30-day mortality or major complications than former or never smokers, so cessation should be pushed but repair not delayed on smoking alone. Rodrigues DVS, et al. Impact of Active Smoking in Peri-operative Outcomes of Patients Undergoing FB-EVAR for Thoracoabdominal and Complex Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms. J Endovasc Ther (Impact Factor 1.5). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42773082/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42773082/) Carotid disease: In 821 procedures for symptomatic carotid disease, revascularization at days 3-14 gave the best early and long-term results, while treatment within 48 hours carried higher perioperative risk and delays beyond 14 days more reinterventions. Sanchez-Calderin D, et al. Early Revascularization in Symptomatic Carotid Artery Disease Leads to Better Outcomes: A Ten-Year Multi-Center Cohort Analysis. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42767435/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42767435/) Peripheral arterial disease: In 1,761 SWEDEPAD-1 patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia and tissue loss, paclitaxel-coated devices did not improve limb salvage, showed more early amputations, and their one-year reintervention benefit faded once limb loss was counted. Sellgren F, et al. Paclitaxel-Coated Devices in Patients With Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia and Tissue Loss Undergoing Infrainguinal Endovascular Revascularization: Insights From the SWEDEPAD-1 Trial. Circ Cardiovasc Interv (Impact Factor 7.2). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42779544/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42779544/) Venous disease: In a small multicenter series of long-standing post-thrombotic venous ulcers, mechanical thrombectomy with venoplasty or stenting as needed left all wounds healed or healing at short follow-up; no control group. Mouawad NJ, et al. Mechanical Thrombectomy for Post-Thrombotic Venous Obstruction is Associated with Venous Wound Healing. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord (Impact Factor 3.1). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42762889/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42762889/) Dialysis access: In a Korean nationwide cohort of nearly 80,000 hemodialysis patients, permanent catheters were linked to roughly threefold higher mortality than fistulas, a gap that persisted in octogenarians and nonagenarians. Park JU, et al. Mortality risk associated with permanent central venous catheter use in the oldest-old population: a nationwide cohort study. Korean J Intern Med (Impact Factor 2.2). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42754529/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42754529/) All studies retrieved via PubMed. Educational content only. Not medical advice. Consult your own clinical judgment and institutional protocols for any individual patient.

7. 

   18 Sept 2026

   Episode 12: CREST-2's Verdict on Cognition

   In this episode: a major randomized trial finds that fixing a symptom-free narrowed carotid artery doesn't sharpen memory, a large registry study finds no single winner among three ways to preserve arm blood flow during complex chest aortic repair, a cost model favors simpler over fancier exercise programs for claudication, catheter-based clot removal proves feasible in the sickest pulmonary embolism patients, and a review makes the case for the leg as a real dialysis-access option once the arm is exhausted. Aortic disease: A multicenter registry study of left subclavian artery revascularization during zone 2 thoracic endovascular aortic repair found similar mortality, stroke, and spinal cord injury across carotid-subclavian bypass, branched, and fenestrated approaches, though bypass involved more blood loss, longer procedures, and lower technical success than the fully endovascular options. Baghbani A, et al. Comparative outcomes of open and endovascular left subclavian artery revascularization during zone 2 thoracic endovascular aortic repair. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42754184/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42754184/) Carotid disease: Prespecified cognitive testing from the CREST-2 randomized trials found no meaningful difference in cognitive function at four years between patients who underwent carotid stenting or endarterectomy plus intensive medical management and those managed with medication alone for asymptomatic severe stenosis. Lazar RM, et al. Revascularization of Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis: Cognitive Results of the CREST-2 Randomized Trials. JAMA (Impact Factor 65.4). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42747844/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42747844/) Peripheral arterial disease: An economic evaluation built on the MAXIMISE trial found supervised exercise programs for intermittent claudication were cost-effective compared with unsupervised exercise, with the strongest evidence favoring a simpler, shorter walking protocol over more intensive cycling regimens. Chivardi C, et al. Cost Effectiveness of Supervised Exercise Programmes for Intermittent Claudication: An Economic Evaluation Based on the MAXIMISE Study. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg (Impact Factor 6.8). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42753907/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42753907/) Venous disease: A single-center Danish case series found large-bore mechanical thrombectomy for intermediate-high and high-risk pulmonary embolism was technically successful and improved right heart function, including in patients who had already suffered cardiac arrest or could not safely receive clot-dissolving medication. Dragsbaek SJ, et al. Large-bore mechanical thrombectomy in intermediate-high and high-risk pulmonary embolism: a retrospective single-centre case series. Scand Cardiovasc J (Impact Factor 1.4). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42720249/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42720249/) Dialysis access: A systematic review and meta-analysis of lower-extremity hemodialysis access found it a viable salvage option once upper-extremity access is exhausted, with autogenous fistulas outperforming synthetic grafts for durability and infection risk. Alanezi N, Alofisan Y. Outcomes of Lower-Extremity Hemodialysis Vascular Access: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42754185/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42754185/) All studies retrieved via PubMed. Educational content only. Not medical advice. Consult your own clinical judgment and institutional protocols for any individual patient.

8. 

   15 Sept 2026

   Episode 11: Air Pollution's Toll on the Aorta

   In this episode: short-term air pollution spikes are linked to a higher risk of acute aortic dissection, a large database finds no clear winner between two carotid stenting techniques for asymptomatic disease, minimally invasive treatment matches open bypass long-term for claudication, skipping clot-busting drugs before delayed rib resection works well for Paget-Schroetter syndrome, and a stent graft's success at one narrowed spot doesn't protect a dialysis graft's whole circuit. Aortic disease: A case-crossover study using each patient as their own control found short-term spikes in fine-particle air pollution, especially soot from combustion, were linked to a meaningfully higher risk of type A aortic dissection in the following day or two. Lei M, et al. Associations of Fine Particulate Matter Components With Acute Aortic Dissection: A Time-Stratified Case-Crossover Study. J Am Heart Assoc (Impact Factor 6.0). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42714430/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42714430/) Carotid disease: A national database study matching patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis found no significant difference in four-year stroke risk between neck-based transcarotid stenting and traditional groin-based stenting, with the authors cautioning a numerical trend likely reflects patient selection rather than true benefit. Chen H, et al. Transcarotid Artery Revascularization Versus Carotid Artery Stenting for Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis. Stroke (Impact Factor 7.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42734077/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42734077/) Peripheral arterial disease: A Medicare-linked registry study of claudication patients found a less invasive endovascular approach had more early limb events than open bypass at one year, but the two converged by three and five years for limb events, progression, and survival. Bellomo TR, et al. Patterns of Index Endovascular Compared With Surgical Revascularization for Femoropopliteal Disease in Patients With Claudication Using Medicare-linked Data. Ann Surg (Impact Factor 7.4). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42733139/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42733139/) Venous disease: A single-center series found that skipping clot-busting medication and using anticoagulation alone before delayed first rib resection for Paget-Schroetter syndrome achieved complete vein clearance in most patients and durable symptom relief at midterm follow-up. Alkhani M, et al. Midterm Outcomes after Delayed First Rib Resection for Acute Axillosubclavian Deep Vein Thrombosis in Paget-Schroetter Syndrome. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord (Impact Factor 3.1). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42732805/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42732805/) Dialysis access: A multicenter Japanese study of covered stents for dialysis graft outflow narrowing found the treated segment held up well, but the access circuit still failed early and often because new problems shifted to the untreated graft body itself. Suemitsu K, Murakami M, Miyamoto M. Two-Year Patency and Reintervention Patterns of Stent Graft Placement for Arteriovenous Graft Outflow Stenosis From a Prospective Multicenter Study. J Endovasc Ther (Impact Factor 1.5). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42723439/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42723439/) All studies retrieved via PubMed. Educational content only. Not medical advice. Consult your own clinical judgment and institutional protocols for any individual patient.

9. 

   11 Sept 2026

   Episode 10: Surgery's Big Edge in Failing Fistulas

   In this episode: aneurysm surveillance after endovascular repair may be better guided by graft seal integrity than by isolated side-branch leaks, a pooled review of carotid stenting versus surgery finds each trades one risk for another, a newer blood-thinner combination cuts amputations after below-the-knee angioplasty, upper-arm blood clots behave differently depending on cancer status and catheter involvement, and surgical revision far outperforms balloon angioplasty for failing dialysis fistulas. Aortic disease: A multicenter study following endovascular aneurysm repair patients for years found that basing reintervention on graft seal integrity, rather than on sac growth or isolated side-branch leaks, led to very low rupture rates — no rupture was tied to an isolated side-branch leak alone. Serizawa F, et al. Rupture Prevention After EVAR Focused on Sealing Zone Integrity. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42716261/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42716261/) Carotid disease: An umbrella review pooling over twenty meta-analyses found carotid stenting carries somewhat higher stroke, death, and restenosis risk than surgery, while surgery carries higher heart attack and nerve injury risk — reinforcing individualized procedure selection over a universal preference. Wu J, Guo Y, Li J, Lu W, Cheng G, Hu Q. An umbrella review and second-order meta-analysis of CAS versus CEA for carotid stenosis. Front Neurol (Impact Factor 2.8). 2026;17:1910597. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42718435/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42718435/) Peripheral arterial disease: In patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia treated with below-the-knee balloon angioplasty, a low-dose blood thinner plus aspirin was associated with fewer major amputations and fewer repeat procedures than traditional dual antiplatelet therapy, without more bleeding. Abdelmalak M, Abdelaziz I, Abdulaal U, Rabee H, Algaby A. Dual Pathway Inhibition Versus Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Following Isolated Tibial Balloon Angioplasty for Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42710605/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42710605/) Venous disease: A large international registry analysis of upper extremity deep vein thrombosis found catheter-associated clots carried a better prognosis than non-catheter clots in cancer patients, but a worse one in patients without cancer — arguing against a one-size-fits-all anticoagulation approach. Debourdeau P, et al. Clinical Outcomes of Upper Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis According to Cancer Status and Catheter Association: A RIETE Registry Analysis. J Thromb Haemost (Impact Factor 5.2). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42705547/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42705547/) Dialysis access: A single-center review of over a thousand patients treated for failing dialysis fistulas found one-year patency was far higher after surgical revision than after balloon angioplasty, especially for heavy clot burden or narrowing near the collarbone, though patients were not randomized. Aslan M, Kış M. Surgical versus endovascular management in hemodialysis arteriovenous fistula dysfunction: Single-center results. J Vasc Access (Impact Factor 2.0). 2026;27(5):2374-2384. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42338055/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42338055/) All studies retrieved via PubMed. Educational content only. Not medical advice. Consult your own clinical judgment and institutional protocols for any individual patient.

10. 

    7 Sept 2026

    Episode 9: The Anemia Gap in Claudication

    In this episode: certain chemotherapy drugs, not cancer or radiation, speed up aortic aneurysm growth, transcarotid revascularization looks safer for mildly narrowed symptomatic carotid arteries, anemia affects one in five claudication patients yet goes largely untreated, a preoperative leg ultrasound measurement predicts postoperative clots, and a torn fistula-feeding artery during angioplasty doesn't compromise outcomes. Aortic disease: A multicenter Brazilian study found cancer diagnosis and radiotherapy did not accelerate abdominal aortic aneurysm growth, but three chemotherapy drug classes independently did — a reason to flag known aneurysms to oncology teams and reconsider surveillance intervals when these drugs start. Kumakura HS, et al. Chemotherapy is associated with faster abdominal aortic aneurysm growth in patients with concomitant cancer in a multicenter cohort. Clinics (Sao Paulo) (Impact Factor 2.4). 2026;81:101099. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42702108/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42702108/) Carotid disease: A national registry analysis of patients revascularized for mild but symptomatic carotid narrowing found transcarotid artery revascularization with flow reversal had a lower perioperative stroke rate than endarterectomy or transfemoral stenting — an advantage specific to mild disease, absent at higher stenosis grades. Abdelkarim A, Kricfalusi M, Abdullah A, Hamouda M, Elkhatib S, Abou-Zamzam A, Malas MB. Outcomes of Carotid Revascularization in Patients with Symptomatic Mildly Stenotic Carotid Disease. Ann Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 1.6). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42697320/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42697320/) Peripheral arterial disease: A vascular clinic review found roughly one in five claudication patients had anemia, most untreated, and that anemic patients had significantly higher cardiovascular event and mortality rates over two years — a common, actionable gap. Hong JS, Loy G, Sivaharan A, Sillito S, Nandhra S, El-Sayed T. Anaemia prevalence, characterisation, and clinical impact in intermittent claudication. Ann Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 1.6). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42697327/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42697327/) Venous disease: A prospective study in orthopedic surgery patients found a preoperative ultrasound measurement of deep vein shape, combined with a routine clotting marker, strongly predicted postoperative deep vein thrombosis — potentially useful for individualizing prophylaxis intensity. Tian F, An L, Gu F, Chen X, Liu L. Preoperative Venous Circumference-Squared-to-Area Ratio (C2/A) and D-dimer for Deep Vein Thrombosis Prediction After Orthopedic Surgery. J Vis Exp (Impact Factor 1.0). 2026;(235). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42695581/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42695581/) Dialysis access: A single-center review of angioplasty for narrowed fistula feeding arteries found arterial rupture, when it occurred, was reliably managed with prolonged balloon inflation and compression, without any difference in one-year fistula patency versus unruptured cases. Yin J, Wei J, Fu L, Wang W, Wang F. Clinical impact of radial artery rupture during percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula dysfunction: A single-center retrospective study. J Int Med Res (Impact Factor 1.8). 2026;54(9). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42698295/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42698295/) All studies retrieved via PubMed. Educational content only. Not medical advice. Consult your own clinical judgment and institutional protocols for any individual patient.

11. 

    3 Sept 2026

    Episode 8: CREST-2's Split Verdict Holds Up

    In this episode: severe neck angulation drives leak risk during endovascular aneurysm repair, a reanalysis confirms CREST-2's carotid stenting benefit while endarterectomy fell short, most veterans with peripheral arterial disease aren't on high-intensity statins, specialists disagree widely on treating vulvar and pelvic-origin varicose veins, and Medicare reimbursement for dialysis access keeps falling nationwide. Aortic disease: A national registry analysis of endovascular aneurysm repair found that hostile neck anatomy raised the risk of an intraoperative top-end leak, with severe neck angulation emerging as the dominant driver in stepwise fashion, while neck diameter barely mattered — arguing for angle-specific caution, not a single checkbox. Soucy JW, Samaan F, Zil-E-Ali A, et al. Hostile Aortic Neck Anatomy Increases Risk of Intraoperative Type I Endoleak After Endovascular Aneurysm Repair: Analysis of the Vascular Quality Initiative. J Surg Res (Impact Factor 1.6). 2026;325:211-221. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42335617/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42335617/) Carotid disease: A reanalysis of CREST-2 using a single combined control group, rather than each intervention's own separate comparison arm, confirmed that adding carotid stenting to modern medical therapy significantly reduced stroke while adding endarterectomy did not reach significance — ruling out imbalanced control groups as the explanation. Musialek P, Malinowski K, Tekieli L, et al. CREST-2 findings are unchanged using an aggregated control group for the CAS and CEA trial. Adv Interv Cardiol (Impact Factor 2.0). 2026;22(2):178-189. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42598485/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42598485/) Peripheral arterial disease: A national veterans' health system study found most patients with newly diagnosed peripheral arterial disease were on a statin within a year, but only about a third were on the high-intensity dosing guidelines recommend, with real site-to-site variation in prescribing. Nathani R, Nguyen C, Li Q, et al. Statins Use in Veterans With Peripheral Artery Disease: Insights From the PEARLS Study. Circ Popul Health Outcomes (Impact Factor 6.9). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42683524/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42683524/) Venous disease: An international survey of vascular specialists and interventional radiologists found wide, roughly even variation in how vulvar and pelvic-origin varicose veins are evaluated and treated — from classification use to whether pelvic embolization or direct varicosity treatment comes first — highlighting a real evidence gap. Cramer P, Scherer K, Winokur RS, Khilnani N. Vulvar and Pelvic Origin Lower Extremity Varicose Veins: A Survey of Current Evaluation and Management. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord (Impact Factor 3.1). 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42679966/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42679966/) Dialysis access: An analysis of national Medicare billing data found reimbursement for both open and endovascular dialysis access procedures declined broadly from 2019 to 2023, across every region and every specialty performing the work, raising concerns about long-term access to this care. Koh DJ, Tao B, Farber A, et al. Regional and specialty-specific Medicare reimbursement trends in open and endovascular dialysis access interventions. J Vasc Surg (Impact Factor 3.9). 2026;84(3):745-752. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42269703/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42269703/) All studies retrieved via PubMed. Educational content only. Not medical advice. Consult your own clinical judgment and institutional protocols for any individual patient.

12. 

    2 Sept 2026

    Episode 7: The Lasting Damage After Iliofemoral Clots

    In this episode: octogenarians are increasingly treated endovascularly for complex abdominal aortic aneurysms but still carry higher risk than younger patients, adding low-dose rivaroxaban to aspirin doesn't further reduce carotid plaque inflammation on PET imaging, loss of the Y chromosome in blood cells predicts peripheral arterial disease in men, anticoagulation alone for iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis leaves lasting vein damage in most patients, and earlier fistula-readiness assessment shortens dialysis catheter dependence. Aortic disease: A Portuguese registry study of complex abdominal aortic aneurysm repair found octogenarians are now treated endovascularly, especially with fenestrated/branched grafts, far more often than younger patients, yet still face higher 30-day complications and lower one-year survival — supporting careful patient selection as less invasive options expand. Ribeiro TF, Quintas A, Ferreira ME, Gonçalves FB. Evolving Practice Trends and Short Term Outcomes of Octogenarians Undergoing Complex Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair in Portugal. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42680061/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42680061/) Carotid disease: A randomized trial in patients with inflamed but asymptomatic carotid plaque found adding low-dose rivaroxaban to aspirin produced no additional reduction in plaque inflammation on PET imaging over one year compared with aspirin alone, with slightly more minor bleeding and no difference in major events. Kim TO, Han S, Ryu J, et al. Effect of low-dose rivaroxaban plus aspirin on 18F-FDG PET/CT-detectable carotid plaque inflammation: a randomized trial. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2026;27(9):1728-1740. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42439277/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42439277/) Peripheral arterial disease: A UK Biobank cohort of over 170,000 men followed for a decade-plus found that hematopoietic loss of the Y chromosome, a common age-related blood-cell change, independently predicted incident symptomatic peripheral arterial disease, raising the possibility of a future blood-based risk marker. Li C, Tang D, Hussain SM, et al. Hematopoietic loss of Y chromosome and risk of symptomatic peripheral artery disease in men. Atherosclerosis. 2026;420:121859. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42508147/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42508147/) Venous disease: A study with at least five years of follow-up in patients treated with anticoagulation alone for iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis found most affected limbs had persistent edema, a meaningful share had skin changes or ulcers, and post-thrombotic syndrome was significantly more common than in the patients' own unaffected leg. Labropoulos N, Javvaji A, Gasparis A, Vedantham S. The long-term clinical impact of iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord. 2026;14(5):102551. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42251889/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42251889/) Dialysis access: A before-and-after study found that earlier, more systematic fistula-readiness assessment significantly shortened time to first cannulation and catheter removal compared with a fixed waiting period, with no increase in fistula complications. Shah P, Ginsberg E, Chauhan S, Guida N, Shah T. Early Access Protocol Reduces Time to Arteriovenous Fistula Cannulation and Catheter Dependency. Ann Vasc Surg. 2026;130:480-485. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42176973/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42176973/) All studies retrieved via PubMed. Educational content only. Not medical advice. Consult your own clinical judgment and institutional protocols for any individual patient.

13. 

    1 Sept 2026

    Episode 6: Rethinking the Aneurysm Size Cutoff

    In this episode: a cost-utility model questions whether the traditional size threshold for treating abdominal aortic aneurysm in men still holds up under contemporary rupture-risk estimates, early neointima thickness on ultrasound after carotid stenting flags who's headed toward restenosis, a review lays out how peripheral arterial disease looks and behaves differently in women versus men, a large Catalonia cohort finds many chronic venous disease referrals are for asymptomatic varicose veins that may not need a specialist, and a routine blood test emerges as a possible preoperative predictor of arteriovenous fistula maturation failure. Aortic disease: A contemporary cost-utility model finds that the long-standing size threshold for treating abdominal aortic aneurysm in men may no longer be efficient if today's lower rupture-risk estimates are accurate, with open repair potentially doing more harm than good under those assumptions; the authors call it a reason to revisit the evidence, not to change practice yet. Columbo JA, Scali ST, Wanhainen A, et al. Is 5.5 cm Still the Optimal Size Threshold to Treat AAA in Men? A Contemporary Cost-utility Analysis. Ann Surg. 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42307253/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42307253/) Carotid disease: Serial ultrasound after carotid artery stenting shows the healing tissue layer inside the stent typically forms within the first few months, and its thickness, along with stent design, predicts later in-stent restenosis — supporting closer early surveillance in patients developing a thicker layer. Kuwabara M, Ishii D, Hara T, et al. Impact of in-stent neointima and its association with in-stent restenosis after carotid artery stenting. Eur J Radiol. 2026;202:112944. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42172739/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42172739/) Peripheral arterial disease: A review of sex differences in peripheral arterial disease finds women present later, with more atypical symptoms and more diffuse disease, yet achieve similar or better limb salvage after endovascular treatment than men, despite more repeat procedures and periprocedural complications. Shammas NW. Sex Differences in Peripheral Arterial Disease: Presentation, Treatment, and Outcomes. Int J Angiol. 2026;35(3):170-173. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42603072/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42603072/) Venous disease: A retrospective review of over 265,000 primary-care referrals to vascular specialists in Catalonia found more than a third were for asymptomatic varicose veins with no signs or symptoms of disease, suggesting many referrals could be avoided with clearer primary-care guidance. Casado-Fernández R, Benito-Aracil L, Zuriguel-Pérez E, et al. Demographic and clinical profile of individuals diagnosed with chronic venous disease referred to a vascular specialist. J Vasc Nurs. 2026;44(3):207-215. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42637492/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42637492/) Dialysis access: A multiomics and clinical cohort study identifies an enzyme measurable on routine preoperative bloodwork whose higher levels are independently associated with arteriovenous fistula maturation failure, offering a potential low-cost marker for preoperative risk stratification. Si T, Yu H, Shen Z, et al. Preoperative Serum Alkaline Phosphatase Predicts Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation Failure. Kidney Int Rep. 2026;11(9):106687. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42569269/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42569269/) All studies retrieved via PubMed. Educational content only. Not medical advice. Consult your own clinical judgment and institutional protocols for any individual patient.

14. 

    31 Aug 2026

    Episode 5: The Hidden Cardiac Cost of a High-Flow Fistula

    Aortic disease: A 10-year single-center review of imaging after thoracic aortic surgery found substantial imaging volume but a low rate of actionable findings; most reinterventions were caught during elective, not emergency, surveillance, supporting more individualized follow-up intervals. Kurvinen HJ, Mennander A, Uimonen M. Surveillance after thoracic aortic surgery yields to low number of reinterventions: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Interdiscip Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42647191/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42647191/) Carotid disease: An updated Cochrane review of 15 randomized trials found synthetic and biological patches perform similarly for stroke, death, and restenosis after carotid endarterectomy; evidence for rarer complications like perioperative rupture and late pseudoaneurysm remains too thin to draw conclusions. Phirom K, Orrapin S, Benyakorn T, et al. Synthetic versus biological patches for carotid endarterectomy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2026;8:CD000071. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42635089/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42635089/) Peripheral arterial disease: In 120 femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis or stent thrombosis cases, rotational excisional atherectomy achieved greater immediate luminal gain and higher six-month patency than excimer or solid-state laser atherectomy before angioplasty. Proczka MS, Horton CE, Macech M, Ricotta JJ, Ricotta JJ. Effects of Atherectomy on Immediate Luminal Gain and Short-Term Patency in Patients With In-Stent Restenosis With or Without Stent Thrombosis. J Endovasc Ther. 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42661157/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42661157/) Venous disease: A prospective study of endovenous laser ablation for incompetent Giacomini vein (83 limbs, mean follow-up over two years) found high technical success, durable occlusion, and significant improvement in clinical severity and quality-of-life scores, with no major complications. Babić S, Milačić A, Slović B, et al. Outcomes of Endovenous Laser Ablation in Patients with Incompetent Giacomini Vein. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord. 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42668115/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42668115/) Dialysis access: A 10-year review of 201 patients with high-flow surgically created dialysis access found progressive cardiac remodeling starting at six months, with right ventricular dilation or dysfunction independently associated with early mortality — supporting cardiac surveillance alongside access monitoring. Abdullah K, Bertolino EP, Sorour AA, et al. Long Term Echocardiographic Trajectories After High Flow Vascular Access Creation. J Vasc Surg. 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42648561/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42648561/) All studies retrieved via PubMed. Educational content only. Not medical advice. Consult your own clinical judgment and institutional protocols for any individual patient.

15. 

    29 Aug 2026

    Episode 4: What Actually Changed in Vascular Practice This Week

    Aortic disease: A fully automated AI pipeline segments the ascending thoracic aorta on contrast CT, measures maximum diameter, and uses radiomic features to predict surgical candidacy. In 335 patients, automated measurements closely matched expert manual measurements, and the model predicted who would go on to need surgery with reasonable accuracy — a promising decision-support tool that still needs larger, prospective validation. Livolsi C, Nioi L, Castelbuono S, et al. AI-based Framework for Automated Segmentation and Surgical Decision Support in Ascending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm. IEEE J Biomed Health Inform. 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42658698/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42658698/) Carotid disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 32 studies and nearly 6,700 patients with radiation-induced carotid artery stenosis found perioperative outcomes similar to non-irradiated patients, but restenosis and reintervention three to four times more common long-term, with stenting faring worse than endarterectomy within the irradiated group — supporting endarterectomy when feasible and closer long-term surveillance. Inal E, Meschia JF, Jeevaratnam S, et al. Outcomes After Intervention in Radiation-Induced Carotid Artery Stenosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Ann Vasc Surg. 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42637117/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42637117/) Peripheral arterial disease: In 124 peripheral artery disease patients with no known coronary disease undergoing elective vascular surgery, coronary CT-derived quantitative plaque burden and flow-limiting disease (CT-FFR) independently predicted five-year mortality; 53% had previously undiagnosed silent coronary ischemia, and patients with both high plaque burden and flow-limiting disease had a markedly higher death rate. Krievins D, Jegere S, Arko F, et al. Coronary plaque burden and computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve are predictors of 5-year mortality in peripheral artery disease patients with no known coronary artery disease. J Vasc Surg Cases Innov Tech. 2026;12(5):102361. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42564993/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42564993/) Venous disease: A prospective Vietnamese cohort of 77 patients with chronic venous disease found significantly improved sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) one month after endovenous ablation with phlebectomy, with the share of poor sleepers dropping from 66% to 42%; sleep efficiency and medication use were unchanged, and the study lacked a control group. Huyen Trang HN, Vy HT, Cam Van NN, et al. Sleep quality after endovenous ablation with concomitant phlebectomy in patients with chronic venous disease: A prospective observational study in Vietnam. J Vasc Surg Cases Innov Tech. 2026;12(5):102358. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42494507/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42494507/) Dialysis access: The IN.PACT AV Access randomized trial's updated analysis of 330 patients shows drug-coated balloon angioplasty maintaining target lesion patency longer than plain balloon angioplasty across nearly every anatomic and demographic subgroup through 36 months, with the largest benefit in restenotic lesions, and no excess mortality signal for the drug-coated balloon through 60 months. Holden A, Haruguchi H, Suemitsu K, et al. IN.PACT AV Access randomized trial update: 3-year clinical results by anatomic and demographic subsets and 5-year extension mortality analysis. CVIR Endovasc. 2026;9(1). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42616238/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42616238/)

16. 

    27 Aug 2026

    Episode 3: What Actually Changed in Vascular Practice This Week

    This week's roundup, in order: a fresh look at statins as a possible disease-modifying therapy for abdominal aortic aneurysm, a practical interpretation of the CREST-2 trial for asymptomatic carotid disease, a "risk-stacking" framework for why peripheral arterial disease outcomes are worsening in younger patients, an AI tool for recognizing chronic venous insufficiency skin changes from clinical photos, and a simple post-procedure flow measurement that predicts how long a dialysis access fix will last. Aortic disease: Statins may be the closest thing we have to a disease-modifying drug for abdominal aortic aneurysm. Pooled registry, screening-cohort, and genetic evidence shows a dose-dependent association between statin intensity and slower aneurysm growth, with a favorable safety profile — though no dedicated randomized trial has tested this yet. Skovbo JS, Lindholt JS. Statins in abdominal aortic aneurysm: a risk-benefit analysis. Curr Opin Cardiol. 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42647406/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42647406/) Carotid disease: A commentary walks through how to interpret CREST-2 for asymptomatic carotid stenosis: adding carotid stenting to intensive contemporary medical management reduced the four-year risk of stroke or death versus medical management alone, while adding endarterectomy trended the same direction but did not reach statistical significance — a sign that modern medical therapy has narrowed, but not eliminated, the benefit of intervention. Kelly P, McCabe J, De Borst GJ. Medical Treatment or Intervention for Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis?: Interpreting CREST-2. Stroke. 2026;57(9):2952-2955. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42495730/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42495730/) Peripheral arterial disease: A proposed "risk-stacking" model argues that rising amputation rates in younger patients reflect the interaction of three layers — genetic risk via lipoprotein(a), cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, and social determinants of health — and suggests one-time Lp(a) testing plus routine social-barrier screening to better target prevention. Nudy M, Sinoway L, Aziz F, Brunner G. Risk stacking in peripheral artery disease (PAD): Integrating genetics, cardiometabolic disease and social determinants of health to explain worsening PAD outcomes. Int J Cardiol Cardiovasc Risk Prev. 2026;30:200684. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42577030/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42577030/) Venous disease: A deep learning pipeline trained on clinical photographs accurately distinguishes chronic venous insufficiency-related skin changes (lipodermatosclerosis, stasis dermatitis) from other skin conditions, with performance holding up on external multicenter data and a diverse public skin-tone dataset — a promising decision-support tool for telemedicine and primary care triage. Kim KE, Lee Y, Kang H, et al. A deep learning framework for recognizing skin changes secondary to chronic venous insufficiency in clinical photographs: a multicentre validation study. Ann Med. 2026;58(1):2694142. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42438416/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42438416/) Dialysis access: In a recurrent-event cohort of hemodialysis patients, lower access blood flow measured immediately after endovascular intervention independently predicted a shorter time to the next required intervention — a simple, low-tech post-procedure check that could help target surveillance. Shih HM, Lin CJ, Chuang SM, Chang KS, Wu CJ, Pan CF. Post-procedural access blood flow and repeat endovascular intervention in hemodialysis vascular access: a recurrent-event cohort study. Ren Fail. 2026;48(1):2697399. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42635106/ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42635106/) All studies retrieved via PubMed. Educational content only. Not medical advice. Consult your own clinical judgment and institutional protocols for any individual patient.

17. 

    25 Aug 2026

    Episode 2 — What Actually Changed in Vascular Practice This Week

    This episode covers deep venous valve repair patient selection, pelvic venous disorder outcomes, and iliac stent patency risk factors in venous disease; a new blood-based prognostic score after type B aortic dissection repair; a challenge to stenosis-only carotid risk stratification; medication adherence's real impact after leg artery procedures; and a bioengineered vessel outperforming the standard fistula for dialysis access. Full abstracts and references for every paper discussed are in the show notes: https://claude.ai/code/artifact/aed30162-a301-4682-9f7b-6b473a78747c (https://claude.ai/code/artifact/aed30162-a301-4682-9f7b-6b473a78747c) Educational content only. Not medical advice. Consult your own clinical judgment and institutional protocols for any individual patient.

18. 

    24 Aug 2026

    Episode 1: What Actually Changed in Vascular Practice This Week

    Two tracks, seven studies, straight from PubMed this week. Venous disease: A 139,000-patient cohort linking GLP-1 receptor agonists to roughly half the risk of DVT and PE in obese patients with chronic venous insufficiency — plus a practice-challenging look at anticoagulation in isolated distal DVT, where routine treatment showed no PE benefit and higher mortality. Vascular surgery: Why stenosis percentage alone may be misleading you in symptomatic carotid disease, what German registry data says about open AAA volume thresholds, how TADV circuits actually mature in no-option CLTI, why medication nonadherence is quietly driving amputations after revascularization, and what obesity really does — and doesn't do — to outcomes after lower extremity bypass. Every study cited with its DOI. The numbers as the authors reported them, and one line on what to do differently in clinic. Educational content only. Not medical advice. Consult your own clinical judgment and institutional protocols for any individual patient.

19. 

    24 Aug 2026

    Introducing Current Vascular Roadmap

    Current Vascular Roadmap is a daily briefing that pulls the newest vascular surgery and venous disease literature straight from PubMed — filtered to the journals worth your time, distilled into what actually changes practice, delivered in under 30 minutes. Two tracks, every episode. Venous disease: superficial and deep venous disease, May-Thurner syndrome, pelvic congestion, acute DVT, post-thrombotic obstruction, and varicosity. And broader vascular surgery: aortic, carotid, and peripheral arterial disease, from EVAR to CLTI to claudication. No filler, no recycled takes — just the studies that matter, the numbers as the authors actually reported them, and the one line that tells you what to do differently in clinic tomorrow. Built for vascular surgeons, by a vascular surgeon. New episodes drop every morning.

Contact Current Vascular Roadmap

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.