Ultrasound. A Vein Specialist's Secret Weapon.
The technology to treat veins has evolved tremendously over the last 15 years, including the use of doppler duplex ultrasound to diagnose vein disease and image-guided technologies to target the exact source of the problem during a procedure.
“There are many signs of vein disease that I look for during a vein consultation, however, it’s ultrasound that gives me the definitive answer as to whether vein disease is present or not. Ultrasound also plays a significant part during minimally invasive vein treatment procedures we perform at Hamilton Vein Center because it pinpoints exactly where to place the catheter and guides the vein specialist through the vein, allowing him or her to shut down the vein down in precisely the right place,” says Dr. Hamilton.
Before ultrasound, doctors’ diagnoses were made on visual determinations and asking patients about symptoms of vein disease – heaviness, achiness, pain — and then determining if surgery was required or not. Treatment involved painful vein stripping surgeries, long recovery times, uncomfortable complications and reoccurrence of varicose veins because the vein disease wasn’t treated in the right place. Treatment back then was a guessing game.
No more, however!
Targeted treatment ends vein pain on the spot.
Today’s most advanced vein treatments are performed in the comfort of Hamilton Vein Center on an outpatient basis. Vein specialists rely on ultrasound to be their guide as they expertly perform a number of image-guided procedures, including foam sclerotherapy, VNUS Closure and ambulatory phlebectomy.
Dr. Hamilton has an extensive background in ultrasound technologies, receiving formal training in diagnostic vascular ultrasound, while completing one of the top vascular and interventional radiology fellowship programs in the country. He recognizes the importance of vein specialists having a thorough understanding of ultrasound and how to perform an ultrasound examination and image-guided procedure.
Ultrasound truly is the secret weapon to a successful vein disease diagnosis and vein treatment.