Category Reference
Vascular Procedures
6 procedures tested on the ABS Certifying Exam
Vascular cases on the general surgery oral boards focus on emergent and bread-and-butter conditions a general surgeon must handle: ruptured AAA, acute mesenteric ischemia, acute limb ischemia, carotid disease, lower-extremity revascularization basics, and access complications. Open repair principles, exposure, and indications are emphasized over advanced endovascular technique.
Carotid Endarterectomy (CEA)
Surgical removal of atherosclerotic plaque from the carotid bifurcation to prevent stroke. The examiner expects you to cite the landmark trials (NASCET, ACAS) and know the indicati…
Open AAA Repair
Open surgical repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm through a transperitoneal (midline) or retroperitoneal (left flank) approach. The examiner expects you to know the size criteri…
Femoral-Popliteal Bypass
Surgical bypass from the common femoral artery to the popliteal artery (above- or below-knee) for peripheral arterial disease. The examiner expects you to know the Rutherford class…
Embolectomy (Fogarty Catheter)
Surgical removal of an arterial embolus using a balloon-tipped (Fogarty) catheter, the standard emergency procedure for acute limb ischemia from embolism. The examiner expects you …
Arteriovenous Fistula Creation
Surgical creation of a direct connection between an artery and vein in the arm for chronic hemodialysis access. The examiner expects you to know the NKF-KDOQI guidelines recommendi…
Mesenteric Bypass / Embolectomy
Revascularization of the mesenteric circulation for acute or chronic mesenteric ischemia. For acute SMA embolism, the examiner expects you to diagnose rapidly (CT angiography showi…
Practice Vascular cases with an AI examiner
Talk through these procedures out loud, exam style. The AI examiner adapts to your answers and introduces complications.