Shillong - The Vascular Society of India was started on August 6th, 1994. Every year on this occasion, Vascular Surgeons celebrate this day in the form of creating awareness of the importance of vascular health.
Vascular surgeons treat disorders related to blood vessels in the whole body, except those of the heart and brain. These disorders include peripheral arterial disease, aneurysm, carotid artery stenosis, complicated arterio-venous fistulas, and arterio-venous malformation. Patients at risk of most of these disorders include those who are elderly, diabetics, hypertensives, smokers, and chronic kidney disease.
Creating awareness to the public that these conditions are risk factors for vascular diseases is our aim. Educating them as well on how these diseases can aggravate vascular disease and how to prevent them will ensure that the awareness created is meaningful.
One of the endeavors of the Vascular Society of India is to create an Amputation-free India and an Amputation Free World. With the motto of Save a limb, Save a life, we as Vascular surgeons wish to create awareness of all the causes and aggravating factors that can lead to amputation.
India is the Diabetic Capital of the world and up to 80% of amputation of diabetic patients is preventable. In India, every year ~1lakh population with diabetes lose their limb to amputation. Every 20 seconds, a diabetic loses a limb. The numbers are staggering when the disease itself is preventable and manageable.
Smokers as young as 18 years of age have lost their limbs to amputation. The worst part of losing a limb at such a young age is the tragic burden that they have to carry for the rest of their lives, and affecting the future of the family as well.
Amputation can be prevented by controlling the risk factors of peripheral vascular disease – smoking, diabetes, and hypertension. If patients with PVD symptoms are detected early on, they can be given medical management. With further progress of the disease, investigations and interventions are indicated. If not managed at the right time, patients with peripheral vascular disease will develop non-healing wounds or ulcers, followed by gangrene of the leg, which may then require an amputation.
Vascular surgeons stand between patients and amputation, but the sad reality is that most patients reach us at a very late stage when nothing more can be offered.
We hope that through this awareness program, people and patients become more self-conscious of their vascular health and approach vascular surgeons at the right time. Shillong is one of the cities participating in this event and a 5km run will be held here on the 3rd August 2024, starting from MFA grounds in Polo, at 6AM.
Let's work towards better Vascular Health and a Brighter, Healthier Future. Every step brings us closer!
REGISTER NOW and be part of this movement. We look forward to seeing you there!
👉 Join Now: https://bit.ly/vsi-walkthon
Let's walk to achieve the goal of achieving an Amputation Free India and an Amputation Free World.
By Dr Neelamjingbha Sun, Assistant Professor, NEIGRHIMS, Shillong, Meghalaya
