Employment following peripheral vascular surgery: an increasingly critical issue.

As discussion for decreasing social security benefits or increasing the age of retirement ensues, the effectiveness of maintaining patients' employment following vascular surgery becomes extremely important. Two hundred fifty-five major vascular operations were performed from 1977 to 1981 on an employed populace. There was a 64% incidence of return to full employment following a major vascular procedure. The ability to return to work was statistically related to the degree of success of surgery following carotid endarterectomy, aortofemoral bypass for occlusive disease, femoral-distal and femoropopliteal bypass. The ability to work following abdominal aortic aneurysm resection, however, was statistically related to the age of the patient, not the outcome of the operation. Seventy-five percent of patients whose operative indication for aortofemoral and femoropopliteal bypass was claudication returned to work. Only 3% of patients who had been receiving disability benefits for vascular disease prior to vascular reconstruction returned to work. There was no correlation with the success of the operation or the age of the patient. One of the goals involved in performing vascular surgery is to return the patient to full employment. It is encouraging to see that this goal is achieved.