Editorials
Improving radiation protection amongst the UK vascular surgery workforce
Introduction The use of ionising radiation in the UK is regulated nationally through legislation. The legal requirements for employers for the protection of radiation exposed workers are detailed in Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017 (IRR17),1 Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (IRMER17)2 and Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2018,3 with the ultimate responsibility for their…
Blue toe syndrome
Introduction Blue toe syndrome (BTS) is not an uncommon referral, with vascular services often being the first port of call from primary care or the emergency department setting. It is a condition which is often overlooked, misdiagnosed or falsely labelled in the wider medical setting. Nevertheless, it warrants a thorough history, examination and assessment due…
Where next for type B aortic dissection?
In April 2021 the acute aortic dissection toolkit was launched by NHS England.1 It was designed to improve the care of patients with acute aortic dissection (AD) by raising awareness of the condition and introduced seven key principles of management including better governance, 24/7 rotas and specialist care. Each NHS region in England was encouraged…
An extraordinary conference session
I have attended innumerable sessions at countless conferences over my career but a late afternoon session on Wednesday 22 November 2023 at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland at the Convention Centre in Dublin will live long in the memory. It ran from 17:00–18:30 hours in a packed…
Management of iatrogenic acute limb ischaemia in the paediatric intensive care unit population
In the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) an arterial line is often inserted in critically unwell children to allow for reliable blood pressure monitoring and access to arterial blood for point-of-care blood gas analysis and laboratory testing. However, arterial catheterisation is a procedure that carries the risk of serious complications including impaired tissue perfusion, thrombotic…
Supporting endovascular practice in 2023 and beyond: the BSET Fellowship Programme
Background British Society of Endovascular Therapy (BSET) Fellowships were introduced to provide an opportunity for vascular or interventional radiology trainees to acquire new or more complex endovascular skills during a 6-month period in a UK-based endovascular unit of their choice. They were established in 2008 in response to the rapidly expanding field of endovascular practice,…
