Michael Shao, MD, vascular surgeon, Parkview Vein Center, explains the services and advancements available to patients at the specialty’s Carew location.
The Parkview Vein Center is located on the Parkview Hospital Randallia campus on Carew Street in the Carew Medical Building. Our vein center has recently expanded by adding several new cardiovascular surgeons, and this has enabled us to increase access for our patients. We've also expanded the number of ultrasound technicians available to get patients in and start treating their symptoms sooner.
Who we see
Some of our patients are self-referred and some are referred by primary care providers. Patients often self-refer for symptoms in the leg, such as:
- heaviness
- tiredness
- pain
- aching
- throbbing
- visible varicose veins
Patients with venous insufficiency can often manage some of these symptoms using compression stockings, and these are things that we can often prescribe for them without undergoing any procedures.
Venous insufficiency is common in those:
-
With a family history
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Working in a standing profession (nurses, teachers, waitresses, etc.)
We also see patients with venous ulcer wounds that won't heal. We work very closely with the Center for Wound Healing at Parkview.
We also see patients who have lymphedema or leg swelling that may not respond to other therapies. We collaborate closely with our area lymphedema clinics, which have therapists certified to treat lymphedema patients.
The key takeaway is that patients don’t have to self-diagnose. Many things can cause leg symptoms, and we can help sort it out. If it's non-venous, we can help direct them to the appropriate specialty.
What to expect
A typical first visit at the vein center will often consist of an ultrasound as well as an office visit with the provider to go over symptoms and correlate the ultrasound with the symptoms.
The procedures we do at the Vein Center are minor outpatient procedures, so typically, no anesthesia is needed. This includes sclerotherapy procedures to improve patient's leg symptoms as well as to help venous ulcers heal.
Why intervention matters
While not life-threatening, if venous insufficiency goes untreated, it can progress over time and impact a person’s quality of life. So, if you're experiencing any of these symptoms, it's important to get in touch with us to see if we can help you. We care for each patient individually and focus on patient-centered care.
For questions about the Parkview Heart Institute’s Vein Center, please call 260-266-4640, or ask your primary care physician for a referral.