Vascular surgeons manage the vascular system (veins and arteries) in every part of the body except the brain and the heart.
Without smoothly flowing blood, your body cannot function. Conditions such as hardening of the arteries can create “traffic jams” in your circulatory system, obstructing the flow of blood to any part of the body. Vascular surgeons handle blocked carotid arteries in the neck and treat problems of the aorta (a large main artery) after it leaves the heart and enters the abdomen. Peripheral vascular disease, which often affects the arteries in the legs and feet, also is treated by a vascular surgeon.