Kelly Thorpe, APRN Kelly Thorpe, APRN
There are a myriad of ways to treat varicose veins and a number of clinics that treat them. Some of these clinic are excellent and some not so much. So how do you decide which clinic is right for you? Well let’s discuss some of these issues a little more. Treating varicose vein and all the complexities that come with it must be understood at an in depth and comprehensive level. Also because treating diseased veins is a dynamic process that changes frequently having a mastery level of understanding and competency is required to provide the best possible outcomes when treating. Treatments can vary from ablation, to stripping, to ligation, to injecting veins. Each of these methods have their benefits as well at their drawbacks. And no one treatment method is effective and safe for every varicose vein that needs to be treated. In fact, if the pathology of veins and the technology to treat them is not understood in depth there can be a significant risk of adverse outcomes. Vein diameter, how straight or tortuous, physical location, and insurance requirement are a few factors that dictate what the best treatment method is for a particular vein. Clinics that treat varicose veins can have a wide variety of origins and specialties that attempt to treat this disease. Some clinics only treat veins on a part-time basis. There are OB/GYN’s, family practice physicians, cardiothoracic surgeons, dermatologist, and plastic surgeons that treat varicose veins. But the most common specialties are vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists. The reason for this is because both groups specialize in understanding venous anatomy. Interventional radiologists further stand out because they also have extensive training in using image guidance (i.e. ultrasound) to access these veins. At IVC all our treating physicians are interventional radiologist with over 15 years of experience in treating venous disease full-time. This means all our doctors have extensive training and understand of venous disease as well as professional knowledge of the different treatment methods and which method will provide the best outcome for your specific plan. That is why people drive from all over the intermountain west to be treated at IVC.
Kelly Thorpe, APRN

Kelly Thorpe, APRN

Nurse Practitioner

About the author:

Kelly received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Utah and completed a Master’s of Science degree in the Family Nurse Practitioner program. He is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the American College of Phlebology.