Promote Vascular Surgery as a distinct medical specialty worldwide. This is accomplished through the dissemination of administrative, scientific, and clinical knowledge and through the creation of strategic alliances.

• To educate other healthcare professionals, government agencies and the general public concerning the unique services and valuable benefits provided by Vascular Surgery practitioners who are well trained and committed to the specialty in all its nuances
• To  identify and provide recognition to individuals who meet certain guidelines, which qualify them as, committed and accomplished vascular surgeons
• To provide scholarships, travel, poster and abstract awards to fellows in training, in an effort to improve the delivery of care in their respective country

Reason for Society: The ISVS was formed in 2003 because of the need to have an international organization committed to the recognition & promotion of Vascular Surgery as a defined specialty separate & distinct from General & Cardiothoracic Surgery and to spread education and culture through training.

This political need exists to varying degrees in different parts of the world & arises from the continuing trend for vascular procedures to be performed by practitioners who commit small parts of their practice to non-cardiac vascular disease patients & by disputes about what constitutes adequate criteria for training & credentialing in Vascular Surgery.
Since the early 1950’s, Vascular Surgery has evolved enormously.  Over the last 50 years, huge strides have been made in operative procedures and a large number of patients who could not previously have treatment have been successfully managed throughout the globe. In recent years advances in medical treatment and a change to minimally invasive surgery has resulted in a decrease in open operations. This new treatment has been named endovascular therapy.

The ISVS was formed to explain to the global community that vascular surgeons are committed largely to treat patients with vascular disease. Vascular surgeons can offer a comprehensive range of therapies which include open surgery, endovascular therapy and medical treatment. In addition, when problems arise with endovascular treatments and an open rescue procedure is required, a vascular surgeon can manage the situation.  Vascular surgeons can offer patients all forms of treatment to include open surgery, endovascular surgery or medical therapy.  This will of course requires obtaining adequate training in all of these areas.

We can only achieve this aim by becoming a specialty worldwide. This will allow us to arrange our own training and establish standards that will ensure that all vascular surgeons are able to provide the most comprehensive range of treatments mentioned above. This will mean adequate training in open surgery, endovascular surgery and medical therapy and will require a number of curricular changes. Vascular surgeons must be in a position to provide a full range of treatment for non-cardiac vascular disease and only then can we publicize this fact.  The ISVS was formed to try to accomplish these objectives.

I am asking you to join today. Membership in numbers will help give this collegial society an opportunity to move Vascular Surgery forward. Our objectives are your objectives..

Giorgio M. Biasi, MD

President