Specialties
Varicose Veins:
Varicose veins are caused by weakened valves within the veins in your legs. Normally, one-way valves in your veins keep blood flowing from your legs up toward your heart. When these valves do not work as they should, blood collects in your legs, and pressure builds up. The veins become weak, large, and twisted.
Spider Veins:
Are dilated superficial blood vessels like varicose veins, but smaller and closer to the skin.
Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI):
When the one-way valves within your veins become weakened and the blood flow does not make it from your feet back to your heart: you have chronic venous insufficiency. The disease can affect the superficial veins, which lie close to the skin; deep veins, which lie with groups of muscles and perforators which connect the superficial to the deep veins. When your veins do not work well, you can experience swelling in the ankles, calves and thighs with a heavy, tired, achy or burning sensation.
Venous Stasis Ulceration:
As the pressure builds within the tissues of the ankles, calves and less frequently the thighs as the result of chronic venous insufficiency; the skin can breakdown, developing into non-healing ulcers. Treatment of venous and arterial insufficiency is often the first step in promoting wound healing of these areas. Overall care of these ulcers typically starts however, under the care of Dr. William Ennis at the Center for Wound Healing and Tissue Regeneration.
May-Thurner Syndrome/Central Venous Obstruction:
The formation of DVT and persistent swelling of the legs may be caused by blockages in the pelvis and abdomen which can be treated by the use of catheters, balloons and little metal tubes called stents to improve blood return to the heart and keep your veins open.
VNUS Closure/Radiofrequency ablation:
During a procedure which lasts 30-45 minutes, a catheter is used to close off the vein that runs along the inside of the thigh. A majority of patients experience significant improvement or resolution of swelling, discomfort and other symptoms which limit enjoyment of life.
Sclerotherapy:
A substance is injected into the small spider veins (telangiectasias) and reticular veins of the leg which causes the veins to clot. These areas are then absorbed by the body causing the spider veins to disappear.
Phlebectomy/Microphlebectomy:
Small incisions are made over the painful varicosities of the leg and those varicosities are then removed. Procedure is performed and patients are able to go home the same day.
IVC Filters:
In patients that have deep venous thrombosis (DVT) who are unable to take blood thinning medications: an IVC filter can be placed to protect patients from a blood clot travelling to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism.
Venous Thrombectomy/Thrombolysis:
DVT can be treated by removing clots in the legs/arms in the operating room or through the use of a special catheter which breaks up the clot and removes it. This is performed in patients who have clots which severely block the blood flow from the legs back to the heart.
Venoplasty Stenting:
In patients that have veins which are scarred or compressed by other things around them: stents can be used to keep veins open and restore blood return from the legs.
Venous Bypass:
In rare instances, venous bypass can be performed around clot in the abdomen and pelvis to improve return of blood from the legs to the heart.