IYSC12 - Trends of Vascular surgery training and education in Arab world

Objectives: There are variations in vascular trainings and education in Arab world with differing vascular disease contribution compared to the west. We aimed to evaluate vascular surgery training and education in Pan Arab world (22 countries), and to identify the commonest vascular diseases treated by vascular surgeons in the region.

Methods: To assess the state of vascular surgery training in the Arab World, we crafted an online survey, which underwent a rigorous validation process by a panel of six distinguished experts in the field. This survey was then disseminated to a cohort of 250 vascular surgeons in attendance at a prominent vascular conference held in Egypt. We aimed to capture a comprehensive overview of their professional practices and the prevailing challenges they face. To this end, each participant was asked to provide insights on a curated set of 58 pivotal questions. These questions were specifically designed to delve into the most prevalent vascular procedures they perform and to explore the barriers to effective training within the vascular surgery discipline across the Arab nations

Results: A total of 86 medical professionals from 45 countries, predominantly Egypt, participated in this survey, demonstrating significant male dominance (93%) in the field, with the largest cohort aged between 31–40 years (42%). In terms of surgical practices, the most common procedure performed is Av access in 30.3%, lower extremity endovascular procedures by 23.9% and varicose veins by 19.3%. Most common endo vascular procedures are lower extremity endo conducted by 81.3% of surgeons, whereas access endo, T/EVAR constituted 8%, 5.3%, and 5.3% respectively. Less than 5 procedures per year: Open AAA, endo AAA, CEA and Thoracic Aortic procedures are performed by more than 60% of the surgeons .

Conclusions: The survey underscores a pronounced gap in specialized training for vascular surgery across the Pan Arab region, signaling a critical need for the development and implementation of comprehensive training programs. Addressing this shortfall is imperative to elevate the standard of vascular healthcare and to meet the growing demands for expert surgical interventions within the region.