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Austin Heart and Heart Hospital of Austin Offer Outpatient Services for Treatment of Advanced Vein Disease

Thursday, October 20, 2011

During its first year, the Austin Heart Vein Center at Heart Hospital of Austin treated more than 300 patients with advanced symptomatic vein disease—including various procedures to treat conditions related to venous insufficiency. The center began treating patients in July 2010.

Advanced vein disease has historically been treated in the operating room using surgical methods, including vein ligation and stripping—surgery to remove varicose veins in the legs. With advances in technology and techniques, less-invasive options have evolved, allowing outpatient treatments for severe varicose veins and other manifestations ofvenous insufficiency, including skin ulcers.

“People often will invest time and energy in repairing the cosmetic effects of vein disease, such as spider veins and varicose veins, but what many do not realize is that these visual signs of venous disease will reappear unless the underlying problem is treated,” Matthew Selmon, M.D., F.A.C.C., cardiologist who specializes in cardiac, peripheral vascular and venous interventions at the Austin Heart Vein Center at Heart Hospital of Austin, said. “Additionally, chronic vein disease can cause significant problems, including pain, swelling, discomfort, itching, restlessness, heavy legs, limitations in walking, blood clots, and eventually skin discoloration and open sores around the ankles.”

Vein disease of the legs is one of the most common medical conditions. Approximately half of the U.S. population has some form of vein disease. Vein Disease of the legs is a common medical condition. Approximately half of the U.S. population has some form of vein disease. Varicose veins affect between 15 and 25 percent of all adults and approximately 50 percent of all people over the age of 50. Womenhave a higher incidence of vein disease. Left untreated, varicose veins generally worsen over time.

The most common form of vein disease is called venous insufficiency, or reflux disease. To overcome the force of gravity, inside the veins—blood vessels that return blood to the heart from the body—are one-way valves that open to allow blood flow to the heart and close to prevent “reflux” of blood back to the body. When these valves fail to function, blood can begin to pool in the veins of patients’ lower extremities and cause a variety of complications.

Treatment options, which are paired with education at the Austin Heart Vein Center, include:

• Endovenous thermal ablation, in which a thin laser, or radiofrequency (RF) fiber is inserted into the diseased vein, generally through a small puncture in the leg above where the visual symptoms appear. The physician then delivers heat energy through the fiber, which causes the vein to close as the fiber is gradually removed. Endovenous laser therapy can be performed in a physician’s office in less than an hour, and the patient is encouraged to walk immediately following the procedure.
• Microphlebectomy, also known as ambulatory phlebectomy, is a method of removing varicose veins on the surface of the legs through tiny incisions.
• Sclerotherapy, which is commonly used for smaller veins including spider and varicose veins, involves injecting a small volume of a liquid into the diseased vein. The sclerosing liquid acts upon the lining of the vein to cause it to seal shut, eliminating the vein completely. Sclerotherapy is performed in a physician’s office. It requires little time and no anesthesia.

Because there are many veins in the leg, the blood that would have flowed through the closed vein simply flows through other healthy veins after the procedure. The loss of the diseased vein is not a problem for the circulatory system.

”Many people who suffer from advanced vein disease also suffer from other comorbidities,which can complicate treatment,” Mark Picone, D.O., F.A.C.C., F.S.C.A.I, cardiologist who specializes in cardiac, peripheral vascular and venous interventions at the Austin Heart Vein Center, said. “Overall cardiovascular and vein management of these conditions is the key to successful treatment.”

Heart Hospital of Austin

Specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease, Heart Hospital of Austin is a shared vision of local cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons. Working with hospital leadership, the physicians created an atmosphere of quality, resulting in the leading cardiac program in Texas for six consecutive years as ranked by HealthGrades®—a leading independent health ratings organization. In July 2009, a studyfunded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services revealed that Heart Hospital of Austin was the leading hospital in the United States for treatment of a heart attack. Heart Hospital of Austin is also a five-time recipient of the Thomson Reuter’s 100 Top Hospitals® Cardiovascular Benchmarks Award. In addition to providing a full range of cardiovascular services and an advanced Executive Wellness Program, Heart Hospital of Austin has a comprehensive 24/7 emergency department. For more information, please visit HeartHospitalofAustin.com.

Treatment of Advanced Vein Disease Outpatient Services Heart Hospital of Austin