2 minute read
New Vein Health Center solves quiet healthcare issues millions face
By Brian Sodoma
Do your legs itch and feel heavy? Are you restless at night when you sleep? Like millions of others, you may suffer from chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the condition affects 25 to 40 percent of women and 10 to 20 percent of males, and could be a sign of underlying circulatory problems.
Not life-threatening, many with CVI also have varicose veins. With this problem, valves in the vein don’t work well, allowing blood to pool and create bulging veins in the leg.
In some cases, CVI and varicosities could lead to minor swelling and pain.
“There’s a real spectrum of what can occur with venous insufficiency. More importantly, it can also affect your quality of life,” said Dr. Jonathan Marshall, an Interventional
Radiologist and Director of The CORE Institute’s new Vein
Health Center in Phoenix.
FAST TREATMENT, SHORT RECOVERY TIME
The Vein Health Center at The CORE Institute opened in August to serve Valley residents trying to address a wide range of vascular issues. Known for orthopedics and musculoskeletal medicine, many may not associate The CORE Institute with vascular health, but the health of your veins and arteries can also factor into successful orthopedic surgery outcomes and overall musculoskeletal health.
Patients who take care of venous disease before a lower extremity surgery, like a knee or hip replacement, lower the risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or a blood clot in a deep vein, during orthopedic surgery, Dr. Marshall noted.
The new center also treats peripheral artery disease (PAD), a more acute condition that could bring diffi-
culty with wound healing, and in extreme cases, can lead to amputation when not treated properly. “By addressing vascular issues, this new program at The CORE Institute is another way we are addressing the entire spectrum of musculoskeletal care for our patients,” Dr. Marshall added. Dr. Marshall is trained in several minimally invasive, image guided procedures to diagnose and treat vein and artery problems. Common treatments The Vein Health Center offers include: • Atherectomies (plaque removal from arteries) • Stenting (expanding the vessel to improve flow) • Venous closures to close off damaged veins and re-route blood flow to healthy ones Vein procedures usually take about 20 minutes, and patients are surprised to learn their recovery time is minimal as well. “We encourage people to be more active, so they have good blood flow to the lower extremities. In most cases, there’s really no downtime at all, and people often comment on how great their legs feel afterwards,” Dr. Marshall said. If you have any of the following symptoms, the physician encourages an evaluation: • “Heavy” feeling in legs • Varicose veins • Restless leg syndrome • Itchy skin on the lower legs • Leg swelling • Leg cramping during activity • Pain in the thighs or calves when resting “The most important thing to remember with vascular issues is that identifying the problem early Dr. Jonathan Marshall always makes treatment easier,” Dr. Marshall said. More info? Call The Vein Health Center, call 866.974.2673.
