Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2003

Mentor: J. Gregory Modrall, M.D.
Department: Surgery
Room number: E7.200
Mail Code: 9157
Phone number: 214-857-1808 (VAMC)
E-mail: greg.modrall@utsouthwestern.edu
Project title: Assessing chronic venous morbidity after superficial femoral vein harvest.

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): Pending

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects) Patient-based

Brief Description of Project:
The superficial femoral vein (SFV) has proved to be a versatile conduit for arterial reconstructions. However, many surgeons have been reluctant to use SFV as a conduit for arterial surgery due to the potential for predisposing the patient to long-term venous morbidity, such as chronic leg swelling, chronic venous insufficiency, or venous ulceration. It has been our experience at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center that venous morbidity is rare after SFV harvest. Thus, we have hypothesized that SFV harvest leads to minimal long-term venous morbidity. This hypothesis will be addressed by contacting patients after SFV harvest for assessment by clinical history, physical examination, and non-invasive vascular laboratory testing. The student participating in this project will work directly with the faculty vascular surgeons in conducting this study. The student will learn the basics of clinical research. The student is expected to learn basic history-taking and physical examination skills pertaining to the research project. The student will learn to interpret relevant vascular laboratory studies. It is anticipated that the student will submit an abstract for presentation at a scientific meeting and participate in writing a clinical research paper to report the study results.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:
Currently serve as a co-investigator (with Dr. Thomas Anthony) for a project that is examining the quality of life after peripheral vascular surgery. This project is currently in progress.

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