ABSTRACT
Arterial disorders represent the most common cause of morbidity and death in Western societies. Much of this is due to the effects of atheroma on the arteries supplying the heart muscle (coronary thrombosis and myocardial infarction) and brain (stroke), although atheroma is also common at other sites. This chapter addresses diseases that are typically the province of the vascular surgeon, namely those affecting the peripheral arterial system: vascular disease that alters the normal structure and function of the aorta, its visceral branches and the arteries of the lower extremity.
