European Society for Vascular Surgery

In this episode of the ESVS Podcast, supported by Servier, we explore the importance of therapy adherence in chronic venous disease (CVD). The episode opens with short patient testimonies, highlighting real-world reasons for non-adherence.
To explore this further, we are joined by Professor Denisa Celovska and Professor Atul Pathak. Professor Celovska is an Associate Professor of Angiology and Internal Medicine at the University Hospital and Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. She is currently the President of the Slovak Angiology Society. Professor Pathak is the Head of the National Institute of Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery and Interventional Cardiology in Luxembourg.
In this episode, they share their clinical perspective on why patients frequently disengage from treatment, the most common barriers to adherence in daily practice, and practical strategies to improve long-term treatment persistence.
The episode also includes insights from a community pharmacist, offering a complementary view on what happens between prescription and real-life use, particularly regarding venoactive drugs. We conclude by emphasising that effective CVD management extends beyond prescribing treatment. Patient education, shared decision-making, follow-up, and human connection are essential to improve adherence and long-term outcomes in CVD.
References:
Kim H, Cho S, Lee K, Lee SH, Joh JH. A nationwide study of compliance of venoactive drugs in chronic venous disease patients. Ann Surg Treat Res. 2023 May;104(5):288-295. doi: 10.4174/astr.2023.104.5.288. Epub 2023 Apr 28. PMID: 37179697; PMCID: PMC10172027.
Burnier M. The role of adherence in patients with chronic diseases. Eur J Intern Med. 2024 Jan;119:1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2023.07.008. Epub 2023 Jul 20. PMID: 37479633.
Mezalek ZT, Feodor T, Chernukha L, Chen Z, Rueda A, Sánchez IE, Ochoa AJG, Chirol J, Blanc-Guillemaud V, Lohier-Durel C, Ulloa JH. VEIN STEP: A Prospective, Observational, International Study to Assess Effectiveness of Conservative Treatments in Chronic Venous Disease. Adv Ther. 2023 Nov;40(11):5016-5036. doi: 10.1007/s12325-023-02643-6. Epub 2023 Sep 20. Erratum in: Adv Ther. 2024 Jan;41(1):464-465. doi: 10.1007/s12325-023-02722-8. Erratum in: Adv Ther. 2024 Jun;41(6):2540-2541. doi: 10.1007/s12325-024-02857-2. PMID: 37728696; PMCID: PMC10567827.
Bogachev, V., Arribas, J.M.J., Baila, S. et al. Management and evaluation of treatment adherence and effectiveness in chronic venous disorders: results of the international study VEIN Act Program. Drugs Ther Perspect 35, 396–404 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-019-00637-5
Golna C, Poimenidou C, Giannoukari EE, Saridi M, Liberopoulos E, Souliotis K. Assessing a pharmacist-enabled intervention to improve adherence to medication for hypertension, dyslipidemia, and chronic venous circulation disorders in Greece. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2023;17:3341–3352. doi:10.2147/PPA.S420811
6. Branisteanu DE, Munteanu AE, Dolofan BM, Popescu EG, Vittos O. Adherence to pharmacological treatment in chronic venous disease: results of a real-world, prospective, observational cohort study. Life (Basel). 2025;15(3):377. doi:10.3390/life15030377.
7. Ulloa JH, Guerra D, Cadavid LG, Fajardo D, Villarreal R, Bayona G, Hoyos AS, Garcia G. Nonoperative approach for symptomatic patients with chronic venous disease: results from the VEIN Act program. Phlebolymphology. 2018;25(2):123
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In this episode of the ESVS Podcast, we tackle one of medicine’s most deceptively simple challenges : agreeing on what we’re actually talking about. Vascular graft and endograft infections (VGEI) are rare, serious, and universally dreaded, but when it comes to defining them, classifying them, and reporting outcomes, it turns out the vascular world hasn’t always been speaking the same language. Safa Riahi is joined by Dr Thomas Wyss and Dr Karl Sörelius to discuss a recent international Delphi consensus that brought together 43 multidisciplinary experts to do something surprisingly difficult: agree on definitions. From the long-standing debate over early versus late infection, to the subtle but clinically important difference between graft-enteric erosion and fistula, to the brave attempt to define what “cure” actually means in a disease that likes to relapse when you least expect it, this episode explores how a shared vocabulary might finally help researchers compare studies, registries make sense, and multidisciplinary teams argue a little more productively. As it turns out, building a common language might be one of the most important steps toward better science; and better care; in VGEI.
The Delphi consensus discussed in this episode can be accessed here:
https://www.ejves.com/article/S1078-5884(25)00707-5/

How common are aortic dissections in Asia, and why do some patients appear to present nearly a decade earlier than in Western cohorts? Laurence Bertrand speaks with Dr. Peter Robless, founder of vascular surgery at the national university hospital of Singapore and former President of the Asian Society for Vascular Surgery, about Asian epidemiology, treatment approaches, and evolving endovascular practice.

Join us for another episode in our Secret Lives series of podcasts, where we delve into the science behind some of the everyday tools and equipment we use in the field of vascular surgery. In this episode, we will be taking a look at what is probably one of the most fearfully complicated pieces of equipment out there, the Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI scanner. A true marvel of applied physics and engineering that combines super-conducting magnets and radio-frequency to produce some of the most detailed medical imaging available. We will also take a look at how MR angiography works and how to interpret those grainy MRA images. No need to get confused with those T1 and T2 imaging sequences anymore; All will be explained! With Justin Woolgar.

Welcome to the final episode of the Q&A series of the 2025 ESVS Clinical Practice Guidelines on the Management of Diseases of the Mesenteric and Renal Arteries and Veins. The final episode completes the Q&A series by addressing several important and often rare vascular conditions covered in the 2025 ESVS guidelines.
Topics include acute and chronic mesenteric venous thrombosis, anticoagulation strategies and the role of DOACs, and indications for endovascular or surgical intervention. The discussion then turns to renal vascular disease, including renal artery stenosis, fibromuscular dysplasia, and Nutcracker syndrome. The episode concludes with an overview of visceral artery aneurysms and spontaneous isolated dissections of the mesenteric and renal arteries, focusing on diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment thresholds. This concluding episode offers a comprehensive overview of the remaining guideline chapters and practical insights for clinical decision-making.
Full names of guests:
Dr. Mark Koelemay
Professor Dr. Bob Geelkerken
Dr. Nicola Leone
Dr. Jussi Kärkkäinen (Part 2)
Shownotes:
https://www.ejves.com/article/S1078-5884(25)00516-7/fulltext
https://open.spotify.com/episode/45Hk77hIyikYNcWklAyVMA
https://open.spotify.com/episode/58yEYHdIdh7IgVQY13gcmk