By Julie Laviolette - South Florida Hospital News
New advances in radiology and imaging have led to a medical breakthrough in the way doctors are now able to locate and treat veins and arteries
The Vein Viewer™, which became available in June, is a new technology that uses infrared light to image red blood cells, allowing a video camera to capture the images through a computer and project them onto a patient’s skin. This device allows healthcare providers to quickly and accurately map a patient’s veins, regardless of age, gender, body type or skin tone. It is particularly beneficial for patients with hard-to-find veins, including blood donors, children and cancer patients whose veins have been weakened by chemotherapy.
"It’s a breakthrough technology that allows you to see veins that you wouldn’t see with the naked eye," said Dr. William Julien, an endovascular surgeon and President of South Florida Vascular Associates in Margate. Dr. Julien was one of six doctors in the country and the first in South Florida to acquire the technology.
In his practice, the Vein Viewer™ has been successfully used to guide the physicians while they perform sclerotherapy, a procedure where spider veins are eliminated by injecting them with caustic chemicals.
"Without this sophisticated viewing technology, physicians can only see the veins on the surface," Dr. Julien said. "If you want to destroy the veins that are at the root of the spider veins, it’s a bit of a problem because you can’t see them with the naked eye, but you can see them with the Vein Viewer™."
It’s like being Superman and having X-ray vision, he said.
Dr. Julien said hospitals could benefit from this technology for inserting I.V.s, drawing blood, administering chemotherapy or even identifying good-quality veins in dialysis patients. Because the Vein Viewer™ illuminates the position of the target area, doctors know exactly where to access a vein, alleviating multiple needle sticks that can cause stress, bruising and discomfort for the patient.
"Its uses are quite dramatic for the patient", says Dr. Julien. The Vein Viewer™ is even being used to help wounded soldiers in the battle field by shortening the time it takes to insert an IV. There’s even talk of Homeland Security one day using it as an identification system, since no two persons’ veins are alike.
"Because this technology is so new, we are still determining the full extent of all of its uses in the medical community," Dr. Julien said.
A nother recent technological advance in imaging and radiology relates to carotid artery stenting, a procedure which is utilized to prevent strokes.
In addition to preventing strokes, "There’s new information that the carotid artery stenting procedure may actually improve executive brain functions such as memory and mental acuity," Dr. Julien said.
During the procedure, an angioplasty balloon and then a stent are used to widen the carotid artery narrowed by plaque. Prior to the angioplasty, a tiny filter is placed in the carotid artery to capture any particles that are unintentionally dislodged during the procedure. The final step is to remove the filter along with any trapped debris.
"Filtering takes place because there was a concern that the particles were causing a subtle deterioration in mental function," Dr. Julien said. "Instead, they found, in a statistically significant number of people, that there were increased mental functions. Colors were brighter. Memory was sharper."
Dr. Julien said the Food and Drug Administration has approved carotid artery stenting for use only in high-risk patients.
"These new findings indicate that if you have a patient with reduced mental function, they may have a narrowing of the carotid artery that no one may be aware of and can be screened for it," he said. "If there is depression or dementia in the elderly, there are many possible causes, but it may be caused by stenosis, a narrowing of the carotid artery, and carotid stenting may help that."
Dr. Julien said advances in image guided technology are reducing instances when patients have to go "under the knife."
"Endovascular surgery is guided by imaging, and advancements in imaging techniques are nearing us to the day where people won’t necessarily have to be subjected to major surgery," he said. "If you don’t have to cut people open, it means faster surgery, less pain for the patient and faster recovery time."
Dr. William Julien is a board certified interventional radiologist with a full-time endovascular practice. He is president of South Florida Vascular Associates in Margate and is on staff at Northwest Medical Center. Dr. Julien can be reached at (954) 975-6161 or www.southfloridavascular.com. www.southfloridavascular.com.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Vein Viewer
High-Tech Device Makes It Easy To Locate Hard-To-Find Veins
Using a high -tech device placed on top of the skin, doctors can now see veins inside your body. The device is called the Vein Viewer and will benefit many patients, including children and cancer patients. It also works well for spider veins. Debbie Andersen, 52, is a breast cancer survivor. But after going through chemotherapy, her veins didn't survive the trauma.
"After the chemotherapy I did not have a port at the time. I could only use my right arm. So they pretty much burnt out all the veins," said Andersen.
Now she gets her blood taken every three months.So it can be difficult and painful finding a vein. That's where the Vein Viewer comes in.
Endovascular Surgeon William Julien uses the Vein Viewer in his practice.
"The Vein Viewer is breakthrough technology, that uses an infrared camera to see the veins immediately under the skin, that you can't see with the naked eye, but because of the heat in the blood vessel, you can see with the infrared camera. The computer processes that information and projects an LCD image back onto the skin surface," said Dr. Julien.
The Vein Viewer also works well for locating spider veins, something Michele Guarnari of Coral Springs could have used a few years ago.
"The spider veins are superficial and they were injected. But a few years later, they came back, and mostly because they couldn't see the deeper veins that were feeding the superficial veins," said Guarnari.
The Vein Viewer allows doctors to locate deeper veins, cutting off the supply to those superficial spider veins. This technology may help patients avoid duplicating procedures and eliminate unnecessary pain.
Homeland Security is also investigating this technology for use as an identification device, since no two people have the same vein pattern. To contact Dr. William Julien about the Vein Viewer call 954-975-6161 or visit his Web site at www.southfloridavascular.com.
Using a high -tech device placed on top of the skin, doctors can now see veins inside your body. The device is called the Vein Viewer and will benefit many patients, including children and cancer patients. It also works well for spider veins. Debbie Andersen, 52, is a breast cancer survivor. But after going through chemotherapy, her veins didn't survive the trauma.
"After the chemotherapy I did not have a port at the time. I could only use my right arm. So they pretty much burnt out all the veins," said Andersen.
Now she gets her blood taken every three months.So it can be difficult and painful finding a vein. That's where the Vein Viewer comes in.
Endovascular Surgeon William Julien uses the Vein Viewer in his practice.
"The Vein Viewer is breakthrough technology, that uses an infrared camera to see the veins immediately under the skin, that you can't see with the naked eye, but because of the heat in the blood vessel, you can see with the infrared camera. The computer processes that information and projects an LCD image back onto the skin surface," said Dr. Julien.
The Vein Viewer also works well for locating spider veins, something Michele Guarnari of Coral Springs could have used a few years ago.
"The spider veins are superficial and they were injected. But a few years later, they came back, and mostly because they couldn't see the deeper veins that were feeding the superficial veins," said Guarnari.
The Vein Viewer allows doctors to locate deeper veins, cutting off the supply to those superficial spider veins. This technology may help patients avoid duplicating procedures and eliminate unnecessary pain.
Homeland Security is also investigating this technology for use as an identification device, since no two people have the same vein pattern. To contact Dr. William Julien about the Vein Viewer call 954-975-6161 or visit his Web site at www.southfloridavascular.com.
Blame Genetics for Varicose Veins
Miami Herald.com ASK DR. SEAN By Dr. Sean Kenniff
Q - Does standing or sitting for a long time cause varicose veins?
A - Varicose veins are unsightly and sometimes painful bulges of the superficial veins of the legs. According to Dr. William Julien, an interventional radiologist and vein specialist in Margate, the cause is mostly due to faulty anatomy.
“The veins in the legs have one-way valves that help keep the blood from flowing backward,” he said. “Some people have defective valves, or they begin to malfunction, and that causes the blood to pool in the legs.”
When the blood pools in the legs, the pressure inside the veins of the legs is increased and the superficial veins start to bulge. Although genetics play a strong role in determining who is at most risk, varicose veins are more common in women. It’s believed hormones like estrogen and progesterone may weaken the walls of the leg veins, causing them to expand and the valves to leak. Pregnancy raises the risk, so does estrogen replacement therapy, and taking birth control pills. Age is also important and the risk gradually increases as we get older.
Genetics, hormones, and age may be the most important causes of varicose veins, but several lifestyle factors have also been linked to their development. Prolonged standing or sitting can increase the venous pressure in the legs and therefore cause varicose veins. High heel shoes, restrictive clothing, and obesity may also be contributing factors. But there are some things you can do to protect yourself, Julien says.
“Elevating your legs, and wearing compression stockings may help”, he said. “And exercise helps because the muscles squeeze the blood in the leg veins and push it back to the heart.”
Most varicose veins pose no health risk, and do not need to be treated. But new treatments, such as Endovascular Thermal Ablation, can correct the problem in the majority of cases.
Dr. Sean Kenniff covers health for WFOR CBS-4. The advice in this column is not a substitute for consulting a physician.
Q - Does standing or sitting for a long time cause varicose veins?
A - Varicose veins are unsightly and sometimes painful bulges of the superficial veins of the legs. According to Dr. William Julien, an interventional radiologist and vein specialist in Margate, the cause is mostly due to faulty anatomy.
“The veins in the legs have one-way valves that help keep the blood from flowing backward,” he said. “Some people have defective valves, or they begin to malfunction, and that causes the blood to pool in the legs.”
When the blood pools in the legs, the pressure inside the veins of the legs is increased and the superficial veins start to bulge. Although genetics play a strong role in determining who is at most risk, varicose veins are more common in women. It’s believed hormones like estrogen and progesterone may weaken the walls of the leg veins, causing them to expand and the valves to leak. Pregnancy raises the risk, so does estrogen replacement therapy, and taking birth control pills. Age is also important and the risk gradually increases as we get older.
Genetics, hormones, and age may be the most important causes of varicose veins, but several lifestyle factors have also been linked to their development. Prolonged standing or sitting can increase the venous pressure in the legs and therefore cause varicose veins. High heel shoes, restrictive clothing, and obesity may also be contributing factors. But there are some things you can do to protect yourself, Julien says.
“Elevating your legs, and wearing compression stockings may help”, he said. “And exercise helps because the muscles squeeze the blood in the leg veins and push it back to the heart.”
Most varicose veins pose no health risk, and do not need to be treated. But new treatments, such as Endovascular Thermal Ablation, can correct the problem in the majority of cases.
Dr. Sean Kenniff covers health for WFOR CBS-4. The advice in this column is not a substitute for consulting a physician.
Margate Hospital Takes Part in Clinical Trial
The Forum Procedure is for those who are high-risk for surgery to unclog carotid arteries
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Peripheral arterial disease affects 12-20 percent of Americans 65 and older
According to the Society of Interventional Radiologists http://www.sir.org, peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, is a common condition affecting 12-20 percent of Americans age 65 and older that may be a signal of future heart attack and stroke -- and many with the disease may be unaware they have it.
For more than a decade, the Society of Interventional Radiology's national screening program, Legs For Lifehttp://www.legsforlife.com, has helped identify this very serious and potentially life-threatening condition.
An estimated 10 million people in the United States suffer from peripheral arterial disease. PAD develops mostly as a result of atherosclerosis, a condition that occurs when cholesterol and scar tissue buildup, forming a substance called plaque, which narrows and clogs the arteries and slows blood flow to the legs. Since plaque blocks the smaller leg arteries first, PAD is considered a red flag for several life-threatening vascular diseases, such as heart attack (the number one killer in the United States) and stroke. More than 50 percent of PAD patients are asymptomatic and cannot feel the classic warning sign of PAD—leg pain that occurs when walking or exercising and disappears when the person stops the activity. This symptom is typically dismissed as a sign of getting older, as is numbness and tingling in the lower legs and feet, coldness in the lower legs and feet, and ulcers or sores on the legs or feet that don't heal.
In many cases, PAD can be treated with medication (such as blood thinners or drugs that dilate an affected artery), lifestyle changes (such as smoking cessation), diet and a structured exercise program. With early detection, patients could see an interventional radiologist when intervention is most effective and less invasive treatments are still an option. If needed, interventional radiologists can perform minimally invasive angioplasty (the widening of a narrowed or obstructed blood vessel) and/or stenting (the insertion of a tiny mesh tube) to open a blocked artery in the leg and restore blood flow.
Thursday, September 23, 2004
New Medical Device Helps Senior Citizen
The Forum (23 September, 2004)
Dr. Julien helps develop a new surgical device recently approved by the FDA.
Click here to read the article
Dr. Julien helps develop a new surgical device recently approved by the FDA.
Click here to read the article
Monday, May 10, 2004
Noninvasive Treatment Helps New Mom in Trouble
The South Florida Sun Sentinel (May 10, 2004)
Doctor uses rare procedure to stop bleeding, save uterus...
Click here to read the article
Doctor uses rare procedure to stop bleeding, save uterus...
Click here to read the article
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