About Families, Our History, and Varicose Veins

IN THIS EDITION:

•About Families, Our History, and Varicose Veins• BulgingVeinsgone in 1 hour!•YourHealthcareBenefitsand Year-end Tips•Varicose Veins: It’s Not Just Vanity

(Continued on back cover)

My 9-year-old daughter loves to learn about history. As part of her bedtime routine, I am currently reading her “The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child”. These books provide valuable lessons not only to children but adults alike. For instance, the introduction talks about howwe learn about the lives of people who lived hundreds and thousands of years ago. Before reading and writing was invented, the book talks about how kings and armies engraved events in stone and clay to relay their stories.

Of course, my 6-year-old wonders why they didn’t use iPads instead!

NewsletterFall2015

Corporate Office2801 Wayzata Blvd.Minneapolis, MN 554051.800.955.VEIN (8346)

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PAIDTwin Cities MNPermit #1000

NEXT GENERATIONSpider Vein Treatment

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We’ve raised the bar again!

www.MyVeinDoc.com/spider

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Latest minimally invasive proceduresNo surgery. We use the latest technology.One stop careDiagnosis and vein treatment under one roof.

Beautiful results in outpatient settingWe are obsessed with reducing any pain and risk of scarring.No downtimeWalk in and out in as little as one hour.Skilled Board Certified Vein SpecialistsThousands of satisfied patients.When you love what you do, it shows!

Bulging Veins gone in one hour!Introducing next generation microphlebectomy to safely and permanently remove unsightly varicose veins with no downtime and minimal pain or risk of scarring

Modern diagnostic and laser technology,ul t ra-f ine procedure tools, andadvancementsinlocalanesthesia(includingtumescentanesthesia)haverevolutionizedPhlebology (the science of diagnosis andtreatment of venous disorders). It is nowpossible to get rid of bulging varicoseveinsinlessthanonehourinthecomfortofanofficesetting,withnodowntimeandminimalornopainorriskofscarring.

ABoardCertifiedPhlebologistnumbs theleg using local anesthetic and carefullyremoves the undesired varicose veinsthrough incisions that are as small as aneedletip.Patientsarethenabletoreturnto most normal activity upon leavingthe office. Cosmetic improvement isimmediate. There isminimal bruising thatresolves inafewdays.Therearewaystohelppreventor reducebruising, thatmay

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Before

Before After

OUR PATIENTS, REAL RESULTS

allowyourlegstobe“beachready”evensooner.

Vein Clinic PA specializes in comprehensive treatment ofvenousdisorders.Ourgoalistoofferlong-lastingresults.Wedo not believe in band-aid treatments. Prior to performingmicrophlebectomy,wewillexaminethelargerdeeperveinsinthelegusingultrasound.Ifthereareproblemswiththedeeper(feeder) veins, those must be addressed first, otherwise thechancesoftheveinsreturningornewvaricoseveinsdevelopingintheareaaresignificantlyhigher.Thedeepersaphenousveinsare typicallysealedusing laser (endovenous laserablationorEVLA).Whenmicrophlebectomy is coupledwith EVLA, bothproceduresmaybeperformedonthesamedayorscheduledafewweeksapart.

Microphlebectomy is a permanent fix for the varicose vein.The vein cannot come back. Other veins may develop andevenappear in the same location, but those that havebeenremoved are gone for good. If new veins should develop,theycaneasilybeeliminatedwithsclerotherapy injectionsormicrophlebectomy.Further,microphlebectomymaybecoveredbymedicalinsuranceifyouareexperiencingsymptomssuchasaching,burning,itchingorswellinginlegs,orifyouhavehadclotsorbleedingfromtheaffectedveins.

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Patients are amazed at how easy the microphlebectomyprocedure is and how quickly they can see positive results.Patientsoftencommentonhowsorrytheyarethattheywaitedsolongtogetridoftheirunsightlyvaricoseveinsthatarealsoahealthhazard.Callusnowat1-800-955-8346toscheduleafreeconsultationwithourveinspecialist.

Your Healthcare Benefits and Year-end Tips

Itmightbehardtobelieve,butfallishereandtheendoftheyearisnotthatfarbehind.Thisisthetimeofyearwherethingsgofrombusytohecticasourschedulesfillrapidlywithschools,sportingeventsandpreparationforholidays.But this is also an important time to make sure you’regetting themaximumbenefit from your health insuranceplan.

Deductibles— themoneyyou’re required topayoutofpocketbeforeinsurancecoversallorpartofyourhealthcareservices — are becoming more prevalent and moreexpensive. If you’ve alreadymet your annual deductibleoryou’recloseto it,youmaybeabletoreceivemedicalcareatverylittleornocosttoyou!Mosthealthinsuranceplans calculate deductibles andmaximumout-of-pocketexpenses based on a calendar year. For instance, alldeductiblesforMedicarearebasedonthecalendaryear.At the beginning of the calendar year, everything resetswithnewout-of-pocketlimitsanddeductibles.

Another factor to consider is your flexible spending account (FSA).Thesepre-taxcontributionscanbeusedtopayforeligiblemedicalexpenses,buttheyexpireattheendof yourbenefitperiodandmustbe forfeited.TakingcareofanynecessarymedicalproceduresbeforetheendofthecalendaryearcanhelpyouapplyyourunusedFSAfundsbeforetheyexpire.

This is the perfect time to take care of the unsightlyvaricose veins that cause poor circulation in legs notonlyaffectingyourqualityoflifebutalsoexposingyoutocomplications such as ulcers and clots if left untreated.Doctors’officestypicallyexperienceaheavydemandforprocedurestowardstheendoftheyearaspatientstrytomaximizetheirbenefits.Fallisaverybusytimeforusalsoat Vein Clinic PA.Hence, the sooner you schedule yourappointment,thebetter.

Keep in mind that some insurance plans require a trialof conservative therapy including use of compressionstockings from six weeks to as much as three months.Also,youwilllikelyneedatleastafewvisitstoprovidethelong termbenefitsmadepossiblebymodern technologyandourexpertise.Forsnowbirds,theearlieryoustarttheprocess,themorelikelyit isthatyouwillbeenjoyingthewarmweatherwith“cool”legswhenyouareinthesouth.

Scheduleyourappointmenttoday,andletyourinsuranceplanworkforyou!

After

Before After

OUR PATIENTS, REAL RESULTS

www.VeinClinicPA.com • 800-955-VEIN (8346)

NewsletterFall 2015www.MyVeinDoc.com800.955.VEIN(8346)

952.934.3296 Free Consultations

Varicose Veins: It ’s Not Just Vanity

While many people recognize varicose veins by the bulgingappearanceonthe lower leg, this isreally justaresultof therealissue:poorbloodflowinthelegs.

Veinsinyourlegsareresponsibleforpickingupdeoxygenatedbloodandbringitbacktoyourheartpushingagainstgravity.Due to risk factors such as genetic predisposition, sitting orstanding for prolonged times, pregnancies and aging, someoftheseveinsstarttofail,causingbloodtopoolinyourlegs.Whenpooledbloodpushesoutsmallerbranchesclosertotheskinsurface,youcanseevaricoseveinsfromtheoutside.Theculprits,saphenousveins,liedeepwithinyourlegsandarenotvisiblefromtheoutside;hence,onlyanultrasoundcanshowthefullextentofthebackflowinyourlegs.

Intheinitialstages,thepressure generatedfrom pooling ofblood causes theachy, heavy, tiredandrestlesslegsthatyou may experience.There is, however,a possibility of abigger problem if leftuntreated. Varicose veins may progress into chronic venousinsufficiencycausingswelling,discolorationoftheskin,bloodclots,andsoresinlegsthatdonothealwell.

discoloration

varicoseveins

ulcerswelling

spiderveins

Which of these legs may have varicose veins?

Answer: All of the above

Varicose Veins Signs & Symptoms

Leg pain Burning Itching Heaviness

Aching legs Leg cramps Tiredness Leg swelling

Sores that don’t heal Darkening of the skin Restless legs

(Continued from front cover)

We are fortunate that in this day and age, we have ways to connect instantly and also preserve our experiences for generations to come who may be curious about how we lived. For instance, yesterday I saw a young woman for a consultation. She had already researched that the aching and restlessness in her legs were likely caused by underlying varicose veins. She talked about her mother who had successful treatments here at Vein Clinic PA after surgical vein stripping failed to provide long-term relief. The young woman also shared the discovery about her grandmother who had her leg amputated due to poor blood flow.

We are thankful for the advancements in medicine that help improve our patients lives. We are also grateful for the modern technology that connects us seamlessly and helps preserve every detail of our lives. Here at Vein Clinic PA, we have now completed

our transition to a paperless world. Patients can electronically check in and receive communication via our patient portal and reminder emails.

In fact, we would like to discontinue mailing out newsletters and use an electronic version only. Although we hoped to be “electronically connected” by now with all our beloved patients, we have less than half of our patients with a reliable email on file with us. Please make sure to provide us your email for important updates and join us in our efforts to save trees! .

We are very thankful for living in an era where we can store memories on an iPad versus a clay tablet or even a book. Life is a beautiful journey indeed.

Sam Gupta, MD, MPH

Abouttwo-thirdsofpatientsatwoundcarecenterswithpoorlyhealingulcersintheirlegs actually have chronicvenousinsufficiency.

These and the myriad ofvaricoseveincomplicationswill improve and likelydisappear with currenttreatmentsavailableatVein Clinic PA. Treating themearlynotonlyhelpsimprovethe quality of life butprevents further problemsandcomplications.Healthylegslookandfeelbetter.