Vascular Surgery in Sharjah

What is vascular surgery?

Vascular surgery is the branch of surgery that repairs, unblocks or bypasses arteries outside the heart. A vascular surgeon treats blood vessels in the legs, the abdomen, the neck and, with other specialists, the chest. Two broad approaches exist. Open surgery reaches the artery through an incision, for example to create a bypass around a blockage using a vein or a synthetic tube. Endovascular treatment works from inside the artery through a small puncture, usually in the groin, using a thin tube to widen a narrowing with a balloon, hold it open with a stent, or line an aneurysm with a stent graft.

At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, patients who may need vascular surgery are assessed by the cardiology team, who arrange the scans, control the risk factors and, when an operation or catheter procedure is advised, refer you to a vascular surgery centre. Vascular operations and endovascular procedures are carried out at that centre, and your care before and after continues here.

Who needs it

Vascular surgery is considered for a small group of people with artery disease, usually after other treatment has been tried or when the risk of waiting is too high. The main situations are:

• Blocked leg arteries causing pain at rest, a wound that is slow to heal, or walking pain that stays severe despite a structured walking programme. The condition itself is covered on the peripheral artery disease page.
• An aortic aneurysm that has reached a size or growth rate at which repair is safer than surveillance. Surveillance is described on the aortic aneurysm page.
• A narrowed carotid artery in the neck found after a mini-stroke or stroke. Referral is prompt in this situation, because the risk of a further stroke is highest in the days and weeks after the first warning.
• Dialysis access, where a surgeon joins an artery and a vein in the arm to create a fistula for kidney dialysis, arranged with the Nephrology team.
• Foot wounds in diabetes where reduced blood flow is slowing healing. A wound needs enough blood supply to heal, so blood-flow testing is an early step.

Common varicose veins are a different condition, treated by the general surgery team on the varicose veins page.

What happens

Your cardiologist reviews your symptoms, examines the pulses in your legs and neck, and looks at your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and smoking history. The first scan is usually a Doppler ultrasound, which maps blood flow without radiation. A CT or MRI scan of the arteries may follow when a detailed map is needed to plan treatment.

The decision about surgery weighs three things:

| Question | What it considers |
|---|---|
| How much is the problem affecting you? | Walking distance, pain at rest, wounds, stroke warning signs |
| What do the scans show? | Where the narrowing or aneurysm is, its length and size |
| How fit are you for a procedure? | Heart, lung and kidney health, and other conditions |

If treatment is advised, Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah refers you to a vascular surgery centre with your scans, test results and a summary letter, so the surgeon has the full picture at the first visit. The vascular surgeon explains the options, which may include open surgery or an endovascular procedure, and agrees the plan with you.

Preparing for it

Bring a list of all your medicines, especially blood-thinning and diabetes medicines, and any previous scan reports and images on disc. Write down your walking distance before pain starts, any wounds and how long they have been present, and any episodes of weakness, speech difficulty or loss of vision.

Stopping smoking before a vascular procedure improves wound healing and keeps a bypass or stent working longer. Support is available through the smoking cessation service. Good control of blood sugar and blood pressure before the procedure also lowers the risk of complications. Insurance pre-approval for the procedure is arranged with the receiving centre, so ask early how your plan handles referrals.

Afterwards

After a vascular procedure, your follow-up can continue at Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah. The cardiology team checks your pulses, arranges surveillance scans when the surgeon advises them, and keeps your risk factors under control. A bypass or stent works best alongside the same habits that protect the rest of your arteries: regular walking, no smoking, and medicines that lower cholesterol and reduce clotting. Keep checking your feet every day, and protect them from hot sand and pavements in the UAE summer.

Contact the hospital if a wound becomes red, swollen or starts to leak, if walking pain returns, or if you develop a fever after a procedure. Call emergency services straight away if your leg suddenly becomes cold, pale, painful or numb, if you have sudden severe tearing pain in the chest, back or abdomen, or if you have face drooping, arm weakness or difficulty speaking.

Cost and insurance

Most UAE health insurance plans cover cardiology consultations, Doppler ultrasound and follow-up care for artery disease. CT and MRI scans usually need pre-approval. Vascular surgery and endovascular procedures carried out at the receiving centre require separate approval from your insurer. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.