Clinical Lead - Dr Daniel Hagley
Catchment criteria applies for referrals for this service. Patient referrals from outside the Mater SEQ Catchment (which includes Metro South and West Moreton Hospital and Health Services) may not be accepted.
This page contains information on how to refer patients aged 16 years and over to Vascular Surgery specialist outpatient services at Mater Hospital Brisbane.
Mater Vascular Surgery treats a full range of vascular and related conditions, including aneurysm, carotid and peripheral vascular diseases, high risk diabetic foot disease (in a multi-disciplinary team setting), venous and lower limb ulcerative diseases and other vascular conditions.
Mater has an efficient, high quality vascular service that uses both endovascular and open operative management where appropriate. We have expertise in wound care and we partner with community nursing and patients effectively.
Where suitable we use Telemedicine to make consultation easier for distant and nursing home patients.
Referral Guideline Development
These Mater Referral Guidelines align with standardised best practice tools for referral to publicly funded specialist outpatient services developed in Queensland through the Clinical Prioritisation Criteria project.
Contact us
If you would like to discuss a referral, including clinical criteria, or update the status of a current patient please contact our priority GP phone line on 07 3163 2200
Emergency care
If any of the following are present or suspected, phone 000 to arrange immediate transfer to the emergency department or seek emergency medical advice if in a remote region:
- Crescendo or multiple recent TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack) / amaurosis fugax
- Acute stroke
- Acute aortic dissection
- Ruptured AAA
- Symptomatic AAA (abdominal/back pain/tenderness, compressive symptoms, distal embolisation)
- Axillary vein thrombosis, iliofemoral DVT
- Acute DVT
- Active infection in leg with peripheral arterial disease
- Diabetic foot infection (refer to high-risk foot pathway)
- Acute arterial ischemia/threatened limb
- Ischaemic changes and/or threatened limb (ulcer, gangrene, rest pain)
- Active infection in leg with peripheral arterial disease
- Diabetic foot infection (refer to high-risk foot Healthpathway)
- Foot ulcer with infection and systemically unwell or febrile, invasive infection or rapidly spreading cellulitis (defined by peripheral redness around the wound >2cm), acute ischaemia, wet gangrene, acute or suspected Charcot - A
- Thrombosed AVF (refer to vascular registrar on call or the renal access nurse)
Bulk Billed Clinics
Mater Health Services offers patients the opportunity to attend bulk billed clinics. To provide your patient with the opportunity to attend a bulk billed specialist clinic, please provide a named referral to one of our specialists.
Current Waiting Time for Appointments
We provide up to date data on how long patients are waiting for their first appointment by specialty here.
Conditions in scope
Aortic aneurysm
Essential information (referral will be declined without this)
- General referral information
- Genetic factors and collagen disorder
- Significant co-morbidities
- Cardiovascular assessment
- Current aneurysm size, AP or transverse diameter measurement last 6 months (if known)
- Vascular risk factors
- U&E FBC & coags results, BSL Lipid profile
- Abdominal USS
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
- Fine slice CT (if available)
- CXR report
Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list)
- Refer to HealthPathways or local guidelines
- Advance health directive (where available)
- AP and Transverse dimensions - Please note length of aneurysm is irrelevant
- Atherosclerosis risk factor management (antihypertensive; diabetes, dyslipidaemia)
- It is strongly recommended that people who smoke stop before surgery as it increases the complications of surgery and is associated with delayed skin healing.Please consider directing your patient to a smoking cessation program.
- Where serial/follow-up >3.5cm-5cm, 6-monthly surveillance USS is performed.
- Where serial/follow-up <3.5cm, 12-monthly surveillance USS is performed.
- Any increase of 1cm or more within a 12-month period is an indicator for early referral.
- Driving should cease if AAA is >5.0cm or the patient is considered at risk of dissection or rupture - Assessing fitness to drive - QLD Government
Categorisation
Available appointments are provided to our patients based on clinical priority. A process of categorisation ensures safety and equity of access.
Category 1 – Urgent Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 30 days | Category 2 - Priority Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 90 days | Category 3 - Routine Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 365 days |
Abdominal aortic aneurysm >5.0cm AP or transverse diameter measurement (increasing size, tenderness) Thoracic aneurysm >5.0cm AP or transverse diameter measure (increasing size, tenderness) Rapid AAA expansion (>1.0cm / year) | Abdominal aortic aneurysm 4.0-5.0cm - AP or transverse diameter measure Thoracic aneurysm 4.0-5.0cm - AP or transverse diameter measure | Abdominal aortic aneurysm <4.0cm - AP or transverse diameter measure Thoracic aneurysm <4.0cm - AP or transverse diameter measure |
Carotid artery disease
Essential information (referral will be declined without this)
- General Referral Information
- Clinical history
- History of TIAs (motor changes, dysarthria, ocular visual changes)
- History of risk factors and management
- Type/location/timing of symptoms (contralateral sensory/motor, monocular visual change)
- Cardiovascular assessment
- Carotid artery duplex
- BSL Lipid profile U&E FBC & coags (HbA1C if diabetic)
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
- CT brain, CTA head and neck
- MRI brain
- ECHO, Holter
Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list)
- Refer to HealthPathways or local guidelines
- Advance health directive (where available)
- Atherosclerosis risk factor management (antihypertensive; diabetes, dyslipidaemia)
- Lifestyle modification (Increased activity, dietary, weight, smoking, alcohol)
- It is strongly recommended that people who smoke stop before surgery as it increases the complications of surgery and is associated with delayed skin healing. Please consider directing your patient to a smoking cessation program.
- Commence anti-platelet agent aspirin (clopidogrel if there is allergy or other contraindication to aspirin)
- Active cholesterol and blood pressure lowering (if appropriate)
- Transient Ischemic Attack definition
Categorisation
Available appointments are provided to our patients based on clinical priority. A process of categorisation ensures safety and equity of access.
Category 1 – Urgent Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 30 days | Category 2 - Priority Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 90 days | Category 3 - Routine Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 365 days |
Transient Ischemic Attack TIA/stroke, amaurosis fugax Symptomatic internal carotid stenosis of >50% on imaging Symptomatic occluded internal carotid Carotid body tumour | Asymptomatic internal carotid stenosis of >80% on imaging Symptomatic subclavian steal syndrome Asymptomatic occluded internal carotid | Asymptomatic carotid stenosis of between 50-79% on imaging |
Dialysis access procedure (specialist to specialist referral)
Essential information (referral will be declined without this)
- General referral information
- Medical comorbidities
- Upper limb vein mapping
Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list)
- Advance health directive (where available)
- Statewide renal access surgery: dialysis access referral form
- Refer to HealthPathways or local guidelines
Categorisation
Available appointments are provided to our patients based on clinical priority. A process of categorisation ensures safety and equity of access.
Category 1 – Urgent Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 30 days | Category 2 - Priority Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 90 days | Category 3 - Routine Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 365 days |
A patient with a catheter insitu for dialysis who is awaiting an AVF formation A patient currently on haemodialysis who has a failing AVF Renal access referral prioritisation score >8 statewide renal access surgery: dialysis access referral form | Renal access referral prioritisation score 5-8 statewide renal access surgery: dialysis access referral form | Renal access referral prioritisation score <5 statewide renal access surgery: dialysis access referral form |
High risk foot (vascular)
At the Mater Hospital Brisbane, High Risk foot is managed by The Queensland Diabetes and Endocrine Centre (QDEC). Please refer to their page for referral guidelines and naming specialist.
Peripheral arterial disease
Essential information (referral will be declined without this)
- General Referral Information
- History including:
- claudication distance
- rest pain
- ischaemic changes
- Peripheral pulses: femoral/popliteal/foot
- Risk factors particularly smoking and diabetes
- Recent cardiac tests, including stress test results
- Duplex USS scan results
- U&E FBC & coags, BSL Lipid profile
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
- HbA1C if diabetic
Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list)
- Refer to HealthPathways or local guidelines
- Advance health directive (where available)
- Diabetic foot ulcer: High-risk foot clinic (referral via podiatry and access via telehealth available – Statewide Diabetes Clinical Network will provide details)
- Asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease especially tibial artery stenosis or occlusion when the foot is healthy and the symptoms are proximal to the lesions in non-diabetic patients, do not warrant referral and can be managed conservatively with risk factor modification and exercise therapy. Other causes for the more proximal leg pain should be sought.
- Atherosclerosis risk factor management (antihypertensive; diabetes, dyslipidaemia)
- Lifestyle modification (Increased activity, dietary, weight, smoking, alcohol)
- Claudication with no impact on quality of life should be managed conservatively with risk factor control, graduate exercise therapy and anti-platelets
Categorisation
Available appointments are provided to our patients based on clinical priority. A process of categorisation ensures safety and equity of access.
Category 1 – Urgent Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 30 days | Category 2 - Priority Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 90 days | Category 3 - Routine Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 365 days |
Refer directly to emergency if clinically indicated:
Claudication <50m Peripheral aneurysm above the treatment threshold Rest pain, arterial ulceration | Intermittent claudication with no signs of limb-threatening ischaemia >50m Asymptomatic peripheral aneurysms below the treatment threshold Lifestyle limiting claudication | Asymptomatic upper and/or lower limb arterial disease |
Venous disease
Essential information (referral will be declined without this)
- General Referral Information
- History and examination findings in particular commenting on:
- bleeding venous ulcer
- venous ulcer
- thrombophlebitis
- DVT
- lipodermatosclerosis
- varicose eczema
- previous surgery
- details how varicose veins limit activity (executing activities) and participation restrictions (involvement in life situations) e.g. standing long periods at work.
- Conservative measures trialled
- If peripheral arterial disease, please indicate if ulcers or ischaemic rest pain.
- U&E FBC results
- If history of DVT: ensure hypercoagulable screen and coag results
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
- U&E, FBC results
Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list)
- Refer to HealthPathways or local guidelines
- Consider referral to occupational therapy outpatients for compression garments
Clinical resources
- New guidelines from the Thrombosis and Haemostasis Society of Australia and New Zealand for the diagnosis and management of venous thromboembolism
- Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism – Best Practice Guidelines for Australia and New Zealand, 4th Edition
- Department of Health, Deep vein thrombosis and air travel
Patient resources
- Victoria State Government, BetterHealth Channel, Varicose veins and spider veins
- NIH, MedlinePlus, Varicose veins and venous insufficiency
Categorisation
Available appointments are provided to our patients based on clinical priority. A process of categorisation ensures safety and equity of access.
Category 1 – Urgent Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 30 days | Category 2 - Priority Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 90 days | Category 3 - Routine Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 365 days |
No category 1 criteria | Acute thrombophlebitis (clexane for 6 weeks) Lipodermatosclerosis Hemorrhage from varicose veins Venous ulcer | Symptomatic varicose veins excluding cosmesis (Spider/cosmetic vein) |
Other Vascular Condition
Essential information (referral will be declined without this)
- General referral information
- Relevant condition information
- Relevant pathology and imaging reports
Categorisation
Available appointments are provided to our patients based on clinical priority. A process of categorisation ensures safety and equity of access.
Category 1 – Urgent Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 30 days | Category 2 - Priority Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 90 days | Category 3 - Routine Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 365 days |
Conditions not in scope
Non-routine conditions
- Asymptomatic / cosmetic varicose veins
- Lymphoedema without arterial or venous disease