RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS

My Approach to Vascular Surgical Research

As a UK- and Australia-trained academic vascular, endovascular, venous and aortic surgeon based in Singapore, my approach to patient care is grounded in world-class training and a strong foundation in clinical research. I have dedicated my career to understanding vascular disease at the deepest scientific level so that every treatment decision I make—whether minimally invasive or open surgery—is guided by the best available evidence and tailored to each patient’s individual risk profile. This commitment to evidence-based, research-driven care is what enables me to provide safer procedures, better outcomes and a higher standard of vascular treatment for every patient I serve.

Why is research important?

Risk versus benefit

Vascular, endovascular and aortic surgery is unique because many interventions are prophylactic—procedures performed to prevent a potentially life-threatening complication that may occur if we do not intervene. This is unlike most other surgical specialties and is a core principle of vascular practice.

Because of this, every decision to operate, or not to operate, depends on a careful risk–benefit assessment. These decisions rely entirely on high-quality research data. Surgeons who actively engage with the evidence—and those who contribute to research themselves—are best placed to interpret the vast amount of information, filter what is relevant, and communicate it clearly to patients and colleagues. This ensures that treatment choices are safe, personalised and truly evidence-based.

“Vascular surgery is grounded in evidence based practice, and necessarily so. The risks of vascular intervention are among the most serious in all surgical practice. Death, stroke, myocardial infarction, paraplegia, and limb loss are all known complications of vascular surgery. The benefits of intervention against the risk and complications of doing so have to be constantly weighed in the best interests of the patient. This is most apparent in aneurysmal surgery where risk of rupture is always calculated against the risk of surgery. Without an extensive evidence base, it would be impossible to furnish patients with the information required to make informed decisions about their conditions.”

Dr Andrew Choong, British Medical Journal Careers, 2006

Progressing Knowledge and Understanding

It stands to reason that vascular surgical research should be led by vascular surgeons—those who diagnose, treat and follow patients with these conditions every day. The only way to improve patient care and surgical outcomes is to continually advance our understanding of the diseases we treat. This requires surgeons to remain not just clinicians, but active contributors to research, ensuring that the latest evidence informs every decision made in the operating theatre and clinic.

Mentorship

Academic vascular surgery is demanding and requires a deep commitment to both patient care and scientific inquiry. One of the most important responsibilities of an academic vascular surgeon is to train the next generation of doctors to value excellence in clinical practice as well as academic pursuit. To support this, I founded SingVaSC, a consultant-led, medical student and junior doctor-driven international vascular research collaborative dedicated to mentorship, research training and high-quality vascular studies.

Research Profiles

My peer-reviewed publications, citation metrics and research collaborations can be viewed on the following academic platforms:

• ORCID

• Google Scholar

• ResearchGate

• Publons

Publications

I have authored more than a hundred publications, including peer-reviewed articles, invited reviews, book chapters and international congress abstracts across the spectrum of vascular, endovascular, venous and aortic surgery. My full list of publications indexed on MEDLINE can be viewed on PubMed.

Book Chapters

I have contributed several book chapters in vascular and endovascular surgery, with particular focus on complex thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair, including visceral debranching and hybrid reconstruction techniques. Selected chapters include:

1. Choong A, Cheshire N. Hybrid Surgery for Thoraco-abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Is this really a less aggressive and lasting solution? Controversies and Updates in Vascular Surgery

2. Riga C, Woloczyk L, Choong A, Cheshire N. Coeliac or Superior Mesenteric Artery Disease: Vascular Options. Charing Cross 30th International Symposium Vascular and Endovascular Consensus Update

3. Clough RE, Choong A, Cheshire N. Endovascular Repair of Thoracoabdominal Aneurysms.
   Techniques Modernes en Chirugie Vasculaire

4. Choong A, Riga C, Cheshire N. Debranching Procedures for Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysms The Houston Aortic Symposium: Frontiers in Cardiovascular Diseases

5. Choong A, Cheshire N. Hybrid Procedures: Debranching and Endografting for Thoraco-abdominal Aortic Aneurysms European Vascular Course

SingVaSC — The Singapore Vascular Surgical Collaborative

I founded SingVaSC as a consultant-led, medical student and junior doctor-driven international vascular research collaborative based in Singapore. Our mission is to promote research engagement among trainees, provide accessible mentorship regardless of location, and deliver high-quality, high-impact vascular, endovascular, venous and aortic research that ultimately improves patient care and outcomes.

SingVaSC welcomes collaboration from individuals at every stage—from complete beginners to established international research groups. If you would like to get involved or explore research opportunities, please contact me.

👉 [View SingVaSC Publications on PubMed →]