Vascular surgeon knows work is 'helpful' to community

FINDLAY — When people ask Dr. Shradha Samuel what she does as a vascular surgeon, she compares her work to that of a plumber. Just as a broken household pipe might result in leaking, damaged blood vessels might cause bleeding. Likewise, just as water can't flow freely through a frozen pipe, a clot or buildup of plaque in a blood vessel might make it difficult for blood to flow. Samuel is the first vascular surgeon hired through Blanchard Valley Health System's partnership with Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center's Heart & Vascular Network. BVHS announced her hiring in a December press release. While employed by OSU, Samuel works full-time in Findlay treating chronic diseases of the arteries, veins and lymphatic system as well as addressing emergency situations. As a vascular surgeon, she operates on blood vessels. While cardiovascular surgery deals with blood vessels of the chest and heart and neurosurgery deals with the blood vessels of the brain, vascular surgery handles all the blood vessels throughout the rest of the body, including the neck, arms, legs and abdomen. A large percentage of vascular surgery cases involve treating peripheral artery disease. Samuel said older people, in particular, may have trouble walking, saying that their legs feel "heavy" when they walk. This is because plaque has built up in the arteries of their legs, creating a "narrowed pipe." Surgery might include removing the plaque, inserting a stent or creating a bypass if the artery is completely blocked. As a vascular surgeon, Samuel also treats disease of the carotid arteries, the blood vessels in the neck that supply blood to the brain. These, too, can develop plaque which can lead to a stroke if unaddressed. If plaque is seen in the arteries, surgery to clean out or stent the artery is in essence "a stroke prevention surgery," Samuel said. Older people are more at risk for many of these conditions, and smoking is also a major risk factor. Samuel noted that nicotine use was more common among the Baby Boomer generation, so many of that population are at risk for both of these reasons. "Diabetes causes a lot of blood vessel pathologies," normally of the smaller blood vessels but not always, she added. Eating a healthy diet, as well as reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes, can also reduce the risk of some of these issues. Exercise, too, is important for vascular health just as for other types of health, Samuel said. Samuel also treats a variety of other conditions ranging from kidney disease to aortic aneurysms. She said vascular surgery interested her as a specialty because of the opportunity to perform a variety of surgeries and work on different parts of the body. She added that there is a need, and residents of many communities may not have access to vascular surgery. "We need vascular care, across the country," Samuel said. She finds it rewarding to know that her work makes a difference, that she is doing it "because someone needs it, and it's helpful to someone." Samuel started at BVHS on Jan. 1. Originally from a smaller community herself, she said she is enjoying Findlay. She said she's excited about the organization starting a vascular department in the area. A vascular surgeon is now on call 24/7 if a patient at the emergency department requires vascular care. "That's an addition to the community," Samuel said.