AboutLauri Ordway Expertise I can answer your questions related to peripheral vacular disorders. This includes all arteries and veins except those inside the head and inside the heart. IE: neck (carotid), arms (carotid subclavian bypases to Thoracic Outlet) belly (aortic aneurysm & occlusive disorders, renal artery stenosis), legs (iliac, femoral, popliteal, peroneal, dorasalis pedis, posterior and anterior tibial) arteries. Aneurysm & occlusive disease, atherosclerosis, leg pain, arterial wounds and gangrene, amputation prevention. Vein disorders: Blood Clots (DVT), post-phlebetic syndrome, varicose veins, venous stasis ulcers. I can help with vascular wound treatments. Also, Raynauds, Buerger`s disease, Thoracic Outlet and other miscellaneous vascular disorders.
I CANNOT answer questions about your heart disease, blood pressure, brain aneurysm, although I can help with questions about the arteries that go to and from those organs.
Experience I am a nurse, I have worked for 14 years with two terrific peripheral vascular surgeons, one of them is also the inventor of very innovative wound care products and surgical instruments to make vascular surgery procedures better and faster. I wrote and manage our clinic website and field questions from patients all over the world.
Expert: Lauri Ordway Date: 6/27/2008 Subject: Vascular stripping just for leg veins?
Question Hi Lauri,
One of the physicians I work with in the cath lab had venous stripping the other day. Question: Do individuals ever have venous stripping to the arms, not just the legs? It doesnt appear so, and why not? Sometimes these veins are unsightly, and according to the physician stripping wouldnt put the limb at risk of ischemia by having the procedure done(again he only had the legs done, not the arms, and is now wearing compression stockings at work). So why wouldnt a person have vein stripping done in the arms, and is it done?
Answer we never do it, i have never even seen anyone who had incompetent valves in the arms, i have seen unsightly veins especially in older folks as the skin thins the veins seem bigger. if the ultrasound showed incompetent valves and the patient had swelling and pain, i guess it could be done. we dont do any stripping anymore at all as it is so painful and with the minimally invasive procedures available now (www.vnus.com) it is not necessary to put the patient thru that agony. removing incompetent veins actually improves the circulation, as it forces the bloodflow back to the heart is forced to use the deep system, which carries 80% of the blood and lives in a fascial sheath that doesnt allow the deep veins to expand and stretch like the superficial ones do. lauri
