Vascular Surgery Education and Training in the American Continent: Current Status and Future Directions.

Background: Despite the increasing burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), there is a shortage of vascular surgeons worldwide, with a higher scarcity in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of the present study was to report the current status of vascular surgery education and training on the American continent.

Methods: Official government, postgraduate medical schools, and medical associations' websites were searched for data regarding vascular surgery training positions, programs, and pathways available in the 35 countries of the American continent.

Size of the proximal neck in AAAs treated with balloon-expandable stent-grafts: CTA findings in mid- to long-term follow-up.

Purpose: To determine the evolution of the proximal aortic neck diameter in mid- to long-term follow-up after endovascular aneurysm repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) with a balloon-expandable stent-graft.

Methods: Thirty patients (27 men; average age 71 years, range 56-87) with infrarenal AAAs were treated with the SETA-Latecba balloon-expandable stent-graft (6 aortomonoiliac and 24 bifurcated configurations). Follow-up ranged from 4 to 8 years (mean 73.