Vein Clinic
The Vein Clinic at Washington Regional, part of Washington Regional Walker Heart Institute, offers evaluation and treatment of vein disorders that occur primarily in the legs, such as varicose veins, spider veins and venous reflux.
“Patients can have a variety of symptoms,” says Dr. Zubair Ahmed, one of the board-certified cardiologists at the Vein Clinic. “Symptoms can include lower extremity swelling, tiredness of the legs, calf pain, a feeling of heaviness. Patients sometimes have cramping at night, what they call charley horses. Sometimes they have non-healing wounds or an ulcer on the skin that doesn’t go away.”
Treatment for vein disorders typically is minimally invasive. “Many of the procedures are done right here in the clinic. Generally, patients have those procedures and are able to go back to work or resume their usual activities,” Ahmed says. “There is no surgical process, no sutures, staples or incisions.”
Two of the most common procedures for vein disorders are sclerotherapy and venous ablation.
Sclerotherapy
“Sclerotherapy is injection of an agent that has been used for many years,” Ahmed says, adding that the agent works by causing the vein to swell shut and block blood flow. “This allows the vein to close, so it doesn’t dilate and become a varicose vein.” The vein will eventually become scar tissue and disappear.
Venous Ablation
“Venous ablations allow us to fix larger veins in the legs, veins that often have damaged valves,” Ahmed says. “They can be repaired in the office, taking less than an hour.” With a thin catheter positioned within the vein using ultrasound guidance, radiofrequency technology is applied to shut and block blood flow to the vein.
While these treatments are widely offered throughout Northwest Arkansas, the Vein Clinic provides evaluation by a board-certified cardiologist. This is important because vein disease is a type of vascular disease, and there are other medical conditions that can mimic the symptoms.
“When there are concerns about varicose veins or if you have any of the symptoms we described, call Walker Heart Institute and ask to be scheduled for a vascular evaluation at the Vein Clinic,” Ahmed says.
For more information or to make an appointment at Washington Regional Cardiovascular Clinic or the Vein Clinic, click here.