Physicians to open a new vein clinic, but patients may not know they need treatment
UPDATED — Six physicians from Heartland Cardiology are starting another new company to treat vein disease.
Wichita Vascular & Vein Center will open March 1 at 3161 N. Webb Road just down from Heartland, which is at 3535 N. Webb Road.
“Unfortunately, here in town patients with vascular disease, they are under-treated,” says Hussam Farhoud, one of the physicians.
He says it’s not only in Wichita. Nationally, there are 30 million people who suffer from varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency.
Farhoud says most remain undiagnosed and untreated.
“Unfortunately, only 1.8 million seek treatment annually.”
He says part of the issue is insurance companies have argued through the years that some vein issues are cosmetic. Also, Farhoud says some patients think that “this is part of life. Just live with it.”
“But it is not.”
Vein issues can affect the quality of life, Farhoud says.
The center will check for arterial disease and chronic venous insufficiency, which is when valves in veins don’t work anymore.
Patients with arterial issues will be referred to Heartland’s other sister company, EPIC Heart & Surgery Center at 3555 N. Webb Road.
The six physicians in the new vascular group are Farhoud, Wassim H. Shaheen, Venkata S. Boppana, Zaher Fanari, Ravi Bajaj and Husam Bakdash.
Farhoud says they will assess patients and begin with the most conservative care unless patients have ulcers, which require more immediate advanced care.
The more conservative care includes exercise, lifestyle modifications, smoking cessation, weight reduction, leg elevation, compression stockings and education.
More advanced treatments include thermal ablation via radio frequency or laser ablation along with nonthermal therapy using special kinds of glue to seal veins.
The center’s tagline is “happier and healthier legs.”
Farhoud says despite what some people think or fear, it is possible for vein issues to be treated successfully.
“We’re here to help the patients.”
This story was originally published February 25, 2019 at 5:00 AM.