Surgical Pathology of Small- and Medium-Sized Vessels

Abstract

Surgical pathologists encounter blood vessels in virtually every specimen they receive, but pathologies intrinsic to the vessels themselves are distinctly less common. Nevertheless, there are a variety of specific diagnoses and procedures involving vascular specimens that merit the attention of the anatomic pathologist. Etiologically, such pathologies can be broadly grouped into traumatic, degenerative, congenital, inflammatory, infectious, and neoplastic lesions. Major examples of most of these are discussed, including anuerysms, vasculitis, thrombosis/embolism, and atherosclerosis.