Varicose Vein Treatment, Spider Vein Treatment, DVT

Vein Spotlight – Orland Park, IL

Posted on April 20, 2012 by admin

Welcome to our “Practice Spotlight”. This month we are learning about the Vein Clinics of America Orland Park, IL network location & its staff. The office is lead by Dr. Satish Vayuvegula. As Regional Medical Director, Dr. Vayuvegula is instrumental in the training of new physicians and ultrasound technologists. He is supported by an exceptional clinical and administrative team dedicated to the treatment of chronic venous disorders. The Orland Park practice is know by the staff of VCA as a place they can call “home”. Everyone that visits the office loves how welcome they feel and that they are always made to be part of the family.

What do you like most about your office?

The best part about our team is that we are just that, in every sense of the word. There is nothing that we won’t do for another team member whether it be filing, cleaning, fixing
things – helping in any way possible.

Orland Park is the true meaning of TEAM because in our office “Together, Everyone (does) Achieve More”. There is no “I” in the word team and that is why we are more than a team; we are an extended family.

What do you enjoy about your location in Orland Park, IL?

Orland Park moved to a new office location recently and VCA has provided us with a top notch location and design. Just outside our door is excellent shopping such as Chicos, Coldwater Creek, White House Black Market, Eveda Spa, Jean Therapy, Ann Taylor and let’s not forget the food… Panera Bread, PF Changs and Granite City Brewery just to name a few. We are also minutes from several other malls and restaurants.

If you live near Orland Park, IL and would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Vayuvegula, call 1-800-660-VEIN(8346) or click here.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged dr. vayuvegula, IL, orland park | Leave a comment

Vein Spotlight – Chicago, IL

Posted on April 18, 2012 by admin

Welcome to our ”Practice Spotlight”. This month we are learning about the Chicago, IL Vein Clinics of America (VCA) network location & its staff. The office is lead by Dr. Ximena Llobet. Dr. Llobet is an expert in ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy as well as endovenous laser treatment (ELT). Prior to coming to Vein Clinics of America, Dr. Llobet practiced in emergency departments at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago, St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, IL and the Swedish Hospital in Rockford, IL.

The staff is very diverse and speaks multiple languages, a reflection of Chicago’s reputation as a melting pot of different nationalities and cultures.

What do you like most about your office?

We work well as a team. Also, we love our patients! We’re proud to work for a company
that is ethical and puts its patients first, takes care of employees and gives everyone the opportunity to grow with the organization. The office is located only a few blocks away from the lakefront and we have access to the city’s over 7,300 restaurants!

The office is only one block away from Michigan Avenue so many of our patients do their prescribed walking along the Magnificent Mile while shopping (being careful they don’t weigh themselves down with items they bought of course!)

A little about Chicago, IL

Chicago is the largest city in Illinois and the third largest city in the country! It is home to dozens of cultural institutions, historical sites, and museums (including The Art Institute of Chicago, which has the one of the largest and most extensive collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings in the world).

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Llobet, visit www.veinclinics.com or call 866-923-8346.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged chicago, Dr. Llobet, elt, Magnificent mile | Leave a comment

Varicose Veins Are Hereditary

Posted on April 16, 2012 by admin

When it comes to matters of health, family history can often predict future issues. Varicose veins are no exception – so if your mother has dark, purple bulges, there is a strong likelihood that you may develop them, too.

Risk Factors for Varicose Veins:

Family history
Increasing age
Hormones
Gender
Pregnancy
Prolonged standing or sitting

Heredity is one of the main risk factors for developing varicose veins, responsible for 80 percent of varicose vein disease. In fact, the risk of developing varicose veins doubles if both parents have the condition.

While you can’t control your genetic makeup, you can pay close attention to your symptoms and personal risk factors in order to minimize the effects of varicose veins.

“Varicose veins are usually thought of as a cosmetic issue, but they actually result from a chronic, progressive disease process and may cause serious health conditions, including venous leg ulcers, bleeding, and even blood clots, if not treated early and properly,” said Dr. Ted King, National Medical Director of Vein Clinics of America. “While there is no cure available, effective treatment can help control vein disorders and halt their progression.”

Varicose veins may not always be visible to the naked eye, so Dr. King also cautions patients to look out for these leg issues:

Aching/throbbing/itching
Heaviness or fatigue
Skin discoloration
Restless Legs Syndrome (Irresistible urge to move your legs)
Leg cramps

“If symptoms persist or become severe, you should talk to your physician about appropriate treatment options. The good news is, today there are far better, superior treatment options that are safe, effective and minimally invasive, that won’t keep you sidelined from your daily routine,” said Dr. King.

To schedule a consultation for you or a family member, call 800-660-VEIN(8346).

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bleeding, hereditary, leg cramps, restless legs syndrome, varicose veins, venous leg ulcers | Leave a comment

Welcome Dr. Potter!

Posted on April 13, 2012 by admin

We would like to welcome Bryan Potter, MD to the Vein Clinics of America (VCA) network! Dr. Potter is the new physician at VCA’s Indianapolis, IN network location.

Dr. Potter received his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine. He completed his residency in Surgery at Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati, OH, where he was selected chief resident. He subsequently completed a two-year fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Prior to joining the Vein Clinics of America (VCA) network, he served as a locum tenens surgeon throughout Oregon and Washington.

“I am very pleased to be able to offer men and women suffering with all degrees of varicose vein disease these state-of-the-art treatment options in an office-based, outpatient setting.” – Dr. Potter

To learn more about the Indianapolis network location or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Potter, call 1-800-660-VEIN or click here.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Welcome Dr. Worthington-Kirsch

Posted on April 12, 2012 by admin

We would like to welcome Robert Worthington-Kirsch, MD, FSIR, FCIRSE, RVT, RPVI to the Vein Clinics of America network! He is a board certified interventional radiologist and will be in our Wayne, PA network office.

After graduating from MIT, Dr. Worthington-Kirsch received his medical degree from the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He completed his residency in Diagnostic Radiology at Mercy Catholic Medical Center.

Prior to joining the Vein Clinics of America (VCA) network, he served as Medical Director at Vascular Access Centers , where he provided Interventional Radiology services at a variety of sites across the country. In the past he has been Section Head of Interventional Radiology at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center (Pottstown, PA) and at Roxborough Memorial Hospital (Philadelphia, PA).

As an interventional radiologist, Dr. Worthington-Kirsch specializes in a number of other minimally invasive, targeted diagnostics and treatments using image guidance for conditions such as pelvic venous congestion and varicocele; he is also highly skilled in performing large joint injections, diagnostic aspirations, ultrasounds and ultrasound-guided biopsies of the liver, kidney and other organs.

“I really enjoy the fact that everyone is aligned on the same goals – treating patients and making them feel better about themselves and their lives. The ‘family’ feeling is important.” – Dr. Worthington-Kirsch

To learn more about the Wayne, PA network location or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Worthington-Kirsh, call us at 1-800-660-VEIN or visit our website.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Causes of Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) – Dr. Gibson

Posted on November 28, 2011 by admin

Jeff Gibson, MD, of our Buffalo Grove, IL practice, was selected to present at the World Association of Sleep Medicine & Canadian Sleep Society conference in Quebec, Canada earlier this month. Dr. Gibson spoke about Restless Legs Syndrome.

Someone who always feels the urge to move his or her legs may be suffering from Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). RLS can make it uncomfortable to do normal activities, especially when sitting down. Patients with RLS have trouble sleeping through the night and traveling long distances in the car or on a plane because they always feel they must move their legs. Restless Legs Syndrome is common complaint by people who have vein disease. Legs feel achy, cramped, and tired because of broken vein valves. When these valves cannot properly pump blood back up to the heart, gravity causes the blood to flow backward and distend the veins with stagnant blood.

If you would like more information about RLS or are interested in scheduling
a consultation, contact us at 1-800-660-VEIN.

Posted in Buffalo Grove, Restless Legs Syndrome, RLS | Tagged achy, broken veins, causes, cramped, Dr. Gibson, restless legs, restless legs syndrome, rls, tired, vein disease | Leave a comment

DVT and PE Awareness Essential to Treatment

Posted on August 11, 2011 by admin

By James Gariti

Life is hectic. If I’m not at work, I’m running to an activity with my kids, and if I’m lucky, I squeeze in a date night every once in awhile with my wife. Who has time to be sick?

We all ignore symptoms and hope the problem will “just go away” on its own. I am just as guilty as most people. But knowing when you should seek medical attention can mean the difference between an easy recovery and something life-threatening.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), blood clots in the legs and lungs, are conditions that are often explained away until they are very serious. Despite Congress’s 2009 establishment of March as National DVT Awareness Month, many people (including many doctors) don’t always recognize the signs and symptoms of blood clots. In fact, less than half of all blood clots (either in the lungs or in the legs) are identified and treated.

A recent string of patients who came to my office with mild to moderate symptoms of DVT and PE led me to look more closely at the disease.

In October, I saw a woman who had a tender lump in her leg which developed after a flight from Florida. Besides the tender lump, she felt fine…except for the fact that she was getting tired when walking from her car to her house. It turned out she had blood clots in both lungs and required immediate hospitalization.

Then, in February, I saw a woman who had experienced six episodes of blood clots in her legs over the years who came to see me to finally take care of her veins. She was found to have two clotting disorders (thrombophilias) which increased her risk of DVT and PE significantly.

In July, a young woman came to my office because she had varicose veins in her legs and had a particularly sore vein. As I talked to her about her exercise habits, she told me that she usually ran five miles each day but that in the past week, she had only been able to run two miles before feeling worn out. Again, she had blood clots in both lungs and required hospitalization.

And there is the tragic case of David Bloom, the 39-year-old NBC reporter who died of a PE while covering the War in Iraq, and, more recently, tennis superstar Serena Williams who suffered a DVT and a life-threatening PE in 2011.

So what can you do to prevent or treat DVT and PE? First of all, congratulate yourself. Just knowing about the disease is the first step. There are some situations that increase the risk of blood clot formation: prolonged inactivity such as taking a plane ride or a long car ride, the presence of varicose veins, having a recent leg injury, being on hormone therapy (either birth control or hormone replacement therapy), smoking, recent surgery, pregnancy, cancer, or a family history of clotting problems.

Posted in Deep Vein Thrombosis, Milwaukee, Pulmonary embolism | Tagged blood clots, deep vein thrombosis, dvt, legs, PE, pulmonary embolism, Serena Williams, smoking, symptoms | Leave a comment

Phlebology Trip To Honduras

Posted on May 17, 2011 by admin

By Chung Woo, MD

Dr. Chung Woo is a physician in our Fairfax, VA office. In March, he attended a week-long service mission to Honduras in Central America to provide free care to people suffering from vein disease. Read about his experience in Honduras at this annual trip for phlebologists sponsored by the Hackett Hemwall Foundation.

I was honored this year to join VCA’s National Medical Director, Ted King, MD, in Honduras for a mission trip. VCA doctors have been serving Hondurans in need for many years – along with doctors, nurses and other volunteers from other organizations across North America. I had such an amazing, life-changing experience. I worked with great doctors and volunteers in a wonderful country, with wonderful people… and rampant vein disease.

I was based at the Olanchito clinic, in a rural area that also draws in people from the surrounding countryside. While I was there, I saw some impressive venous ulcers. Quite frankly, I was skeptical at first at how only one treatment session with sclerotherapy would take care of them. But then I saw some patients who were treated previously. Many had at the least moderate, and in some cases, significant improvement. When the ulcers get better or even heal completely, the quality of life for those patients improves beyond description. The gratitude of the patients alone was worth the trip.

I really missed my ultrasound technician when I was working by myself, but quickly felt comfortable scanning and treating… and teaching. I ended up doing quite a bit of teaching to the two doctors in my group who had never treated veins before. After this experience, one of those doctors enjoyed the work so much that he even made the decision to become a phlebologist! But, most importantly, we were there to treat veins, so we all rolled up our sleeves and got busy –very busy. Our group in Olanchito treated some 600 patients over four and a half days!

The patients were wonderful. Some came by bus from more than twelve hours away. Many waited all day before they were treated. We did not have the luxury of providing local anesthesia but the patients bravely endured. Each one thanked us effusively and more than a few hugs were exchanged.

After returning home to warm showers, drinkable tap water and reliable electricity, I was reminded just how blessed we are in America. Honduras was a wonderful experience and a great reminder of why I do what I do – improve people’s lives through vein treatment. I’m more motivated than ever and would love the opportunity to go back.

Posted in Fairfax, Phlebology, Sclerotherapy | Tagged dr. chung woo, honduras, phlebologists, sclerotherapy, vein disease | Leave a comment

Don’t Let Your Varicose Veins Keep You Out of Shorts this Summer!

Posted on May 2, 2011 by admin

This is the time of year to “think spring” and to look forward to warmer weather and spring wardrobes. And when you think about spring, you know that summer is just around the corner. But for many people with varicose veins, the thought of putting on a pair of shorts or a swimsuit not only means feeling embarrassed about the appearance of their legs, but also reminds them of the pain that varicose veins can cause.

Fortunately, VCA offers treatment options that don’t require complicated surgery or hospitalization. If you or someone you care about is considering treatment, here is an overview of our treatment options.

Sclerotherapy is a microinjection procedure that needs no pain medication or surgery. Abnormal veins are treated by injecting a solution called a sclerosant, sealing the vein off from the rest of the vein network in your leg, allowing the body to naturally redirect the blood flow to healthy veins.

Endovenous laser treatment (ELT, or sometimes referred to as EVLT) is a quick, minimally invasive laser treatment that requires no hospitalization and no complicated surgery. A small optic fiber is inserted through a needle into the varicose vein, heating and closing the vein, allowing blood to be naturally re-routed to other healthy veins.

We’re experts in the field and will do our best to help you both understand and treat the problem. Remember, varicose vein treatment is often covered by insurance, so what are you waiting for? Get your legs into some cute shorts and skirts and make the most of your summer!

Have a question? Email one of our experts http://www.veinclinics.com/are-you-ready/comments-feedback/.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Varicose Veins and Pregnancy

Posted on April 26, 2011 by admin

By Jeffrey Gibson, MD

As a physician with Vein Clinics of America, I see a wide variety of patients with varicose vein disease. I would have to say, though, the patients I see most often are the women who have had children. Varicose veins commonly develop during pregnancy, especially in women with a family history of them. They are often symptomatic with pain, numbness, tingling, heaviness, and cramps. It is also not uncommon for women to develop varicose veins if they gain a lot of weight during pregnancy.

Hormones from pregnancy cause varicose veins to be more noticeable and painful. There’s a common misconception, however, that you have to wait until you’re finished having children to get treatment. This is simply not the case.

Varicose vein disease is a progressive condition that, if left untreated, will only get worse. While you can’t receive treatment while you are pregnant, you should look into getting them treated shortly after the baby is born. It’s likely that your legs will be even more painful in any subsequent pregnancies than they were in your first if you wait to take care of them. Treating your vein disease before you become pregnant again will control the amount of varicose veins present for the pregnancy to act upon, allowing your legs to remain as comfortable as possible.

When making a decision about your varicose veins, keep in mind that the sooner you get your veins treated, the easier they are to treat and control. If you’ve just had a baby, congratulations! Now come see me!