Category: Blog

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITIES YOU LOOK FOR IN A DOCTOR?

Posted on by Michael Kokinos

Intelligence? Experience? Compassion?

Dr. Polly Kokinos checks all those boxes (and more!).

  • She finished high school at 14, Barnard University at 16 and and Columbia Medical school at 20. 
  • At 29 Dr. Kokinos finished her vascular surgery training and became the youngest board-certified vascular surgeon in the country.
  • She founded South Bay Vascular in 1997 and has devoted her entire career to her local community as a private practice doctor.
  • She’s performed more than 20,000 vein procedures in the past 24 years.
  • She’s is a female business owner who has overcome the challenges of working in a “man’s” world.  In fact, Dr. Kokinos has created the largest independent vascular surgery practice in Silicon Valley.
  • She’s recognized as the leading limb salvage and wound healing surgeon in Silicon Valley. When it comes to your health, it’s not just experience that counts, it’s the right experience that matters. THE “RIGHT” EXPERIENCE COUNTS WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR HEALTH
  • She’s spent her entire career in private practice and didn’t just start her practice after losing their way in a managed care environment.
  • RESULTS: Here’s what Dr. Kokinos’ patients have said about their care over the past 30 days. Vascular Surgeon

No wonder more Silicon Valley physicians refer their patients to “Dr. K.” than to any other vascular surgeon in Silicon Valley!

 

If you or anyone you know suffers from a circulation related illness, we can help!

 

Call us at 408-376-3626 to schedule an appointment.

SILICON VALLEY’S MOST TRUSTED VASCULAR SURGEON

Posted on by Michael Kokinos

Silicon Valley's Most Trusted Vascular Surgeon

American University of Antigua Medical School Honors South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute as a Clinical Campus

Today, South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute is pleased to announce another success in its legacy as Silicon Valley’s most trusted independent vascular surgery practice. Genesis Medicus and American University of Antigua Medical School are honored to announce that Dr Kokinos has been appointed to their clinical faculty in Vascular Surgery.  Recognized as Silicon Valley’s most trusted independent vascular surgeon, Dr Kokinos and South Bay Vascular Center will now serve as a clinical campus for American University of Antigua medical school students.  In this capacity 4th year AUA medical students will train at South Bay Vascular Center as part of their clinical rotations in Vascular Surgery.

 

Inspiring The Next Generation of Medical Professionals

Through this appointment, South Bay Vascular continues their commitment to the next generation of physicians.  Earlier this year South Bay Vascular Center celebrated the 6th anniversay of their Medical Gap Year Internship program.  Dr Kokinos is immensely proud of the fact that her program has seen 7 of it’s graduates matriculate to US Medical, D.O.  and Nursing Schools. With the announcement of this most recent honor, South Bay Vascular hopes to inspire the next generation of medical students to become Vascular Surgeons.

South Bay Vascular Center is likewise honored that other Vascular Surgery Practices in the area have been inspired by our medical gap year program by starting similiar pre-med training programs at their own practices. By announcing similar programs in recognition of the success of Dr Kokinos’ groundbreaking work in this area, we are deeply honored to have been an example for them to follow.

 

South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute

For 24 years Dr Kokinos and the Staff at South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute have dedicated themselves to providing cutting edge, independent vascular care to Silicon Valley patients.

Cutting edge care, delivered in a state of the art outpatient surgery center dedicated entirely to the practice of vascular surgery, is just one of the reasons why patients choose Dr Kokinos to treat their their circulation related illnesses. Having performed over 20,000 vein procedures, Dr Kokinos is Silicon Valley’s most TRUSTED independent vascular surgeon.  Recognized as the regional expert in the field of minimially invasive peripheral revascularizations in the outpatient setting, Dr Kokinos has performed more pedal access  peripheral vascular interventions than any other vascular surgeon in Silicon Valley. In her role as a leader in this field,  she has also trained many local vascular surgeons in these procedures as more and more hospital based vascular surgeons leave regional hospital systems to start their own independent vascular surgery practices.

South Bay Vascular’s outstanding reputation as a leading treatment center for Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) and Iliac Vein Compression https://www.southbayvascular.com/leg-swelling/ have led patients to Dr Kokinos’ practice from throughout the United States when previous efforts at treating their conditions at other centers have failed. THE “RIGHT” EXPERIENCE COUNTS WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR HEALTH

Congratulations to Dr Kokinos and her team at South Bay Vascular on this most recent accomplishment and to their long term commitment to the communities of the South Bay.

 

THE “RIGHT” EXPERIENCE COUNTS WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR HEALTH

Posted on by Michael Kokinos

The “RIGHT” Experience Counts When It Comes to Your Health! South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute is the Bay Area’s Most Trusted Varicose Vein Clinic and Treatment Center.

Having performed over 20,000 vein procedures in the past 24 years, more independent doctors refer their vein patients to Dr. Polyxene (Polly) Kokinos than to any other vascular surgeon in the greater Silicon Valley region. Recognized as San Jose’s most experienced Vascular Surgeon and Varicose Vein Expert, Dr Kokinos offers cutting edge care to patients suffering from all forms of both arterial and venous disease.

Here’s why more local doctors refer to South Bay Vascular than to any other Vascular Surgery Center in the Valley:

  • The “RIGHT” Experience Counts When it Comes to your Health: South Bay Vascular center has been treating vein patients in a private practice setting for over 24 years.
  • Cutting edge vascular care in a fully accredited, state of the art, and private out-patient surgery center dedicated entirely to the practice of vascular surgery.
  • Access to the most Advanced Imaging and Device technologies found anywhere in the world.
  • On-site fully staffed IAC accredited Vascular Ultrasound Clinic that is operated full time by Registered Vascular Technologists (RVT).
  • Vascular Studies ready by RPVI certified Vascular Surgeons.
  • Same day availability for Hemodialysis Access de-clots.
  • “One-Doctor, One Patient, One Nurse” practice philosophy means we put the patients first.
  • Full time access to practice physicians
  • Easy access to care: No admissions departments.
  • RESULTS:   We are MORE than just a colorful website and a Google Adwords campaign. Remember, all that glitters is NOT Gold!  https://www.southbayvascular.com/blog/varicose-vein-doctors/

 Trust the doctor your physician does.

 Remember, Its Not Just Experience That Counts.

When It Comes to Your Health, It’s The “RIGHT” Experience that Matters!

Dr Polyxene Kokinos, Silicon Valley’s Vascular Surgeon.

Call us today at 408-376-3626 to schedule your vein consultation.

Click here to learn more about Dr Kokinos  NOT JUST VASCULAR CARE, EXCEPTIONAL VASCULAR CARE

VARICOSE VEIN DOCTORS

Posted on by Michael Kokinos

Type “Varicose Vein Doctor” into your Google search and in seconds, you’re overwhelmed by results.

Each link points to a different website.  Each site claims their “Vein Doctor” is the “best” and every practitioner claims to have the “bona-fides” to back-up these claims. Credentials span the continuum from Academic Institution Affiliations, (claiming to be X, Y or Z University Affiliated); to Chair-Personships (they “chaired’ this or that medical departments in the “Big Box” health care systems they came from (i.e. Kaiser, PAMF, or Sutter) to Medical Journal Publications…all this in an apparent attempt to equate administrative responsibilities with clinical excellence. Some of the bolder in the group even claim they trained at the best medical schools hoping to convince potential patients that by attending a great medical school they are the best physician for the procedure.

 

AN ESPECIALLY CONCERNING TREND IS A PHYSICIAN’S USE OF GOOGLE ADWORDS TO ADVANCE THEIR MESSAGE

 

If a vein doctor’s website shows up in your Google Search and you see that the listing starts with the word “AD” …be careful. It means that the owner of this practice is paying Google a special Advertising fee to get their name to the top of the search results. This is an attempt by this physician to “BUY LEGITIMACY”.  Businesses PAYING google to display their ads above the practitioners who have EARNED this privilege is a great way for Google to make money. Unfortunately, it can be deceiving to people who think that because a doctor’s website pops up at the top of the search results that they must be the best. (On a separate note…If a physician’s website DOES show up at the top of the search results and DOES NOT have the word “AD” in front of it, IT IS a sign that this physician has many website visitors and that they have been around for a long time…Especially if this listing is followed by a large number of Google Reviews.)  It also means that this physician has EARNED their reputation, and NOT purchased their website ranking. A word of warning to patients searching for an experienced vein care professionals. Anyone can pay to elevate their search rankings on Google; regardless of their experience.

 

IGNORE websites with paid “AD’s”, especially if they don’t have any verified Google reviews. 

 

To make things even more difficult, it can be very confusing just trying to figure out what kind of doctor actually does varicose vein procedures. Some doctors call themselves “Vein Specialists”. Others call themselves “Vein Experts”. You’ll also see the labels “Phlebologist” and “Vascular Expert”. Finally, there is the “Vascular Surgeon”. You ask yourself, do all of these physicians fix varicose veins? If so, what’s the difference? (Learn more by clicking on the following link). https://www.southbayvascular.com/blog/vascular-surgeon-vs-phlebologist-vs-vein-specialist/ Every one of these “Vein Doctors” promises to rid you of your ugly, painful veins, leg swelling and non-healing ulcers. Every one of them posts photos showing off their work to prove their point.

Let’s face it, it’s confusing. All you really want is to get your veins “fixed” so that next time you get invited to a pool party you can wear shorts or a skirt again without being “mortified” by how bad your legs look. So, what’s next?

Lost in this hype, finding the right doctor to treat your varicose veins might seem impossible. Choosing the best doctor for your specific vein condition is a difficult decision and not one that you should take lightly.  Only after serious consideration of the available options should this decision be made and in the best of all worlds, it should be made in consultation with your primary care physician…and this is the probably the most important message in this post.

LISTEN TO YOUR PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR

They’ve been in this community a long time and they know who is good and who is not. Their referral should be your number one reason to make an appointment with a Varicose Vein Doctor.

In the best of scenarios, patients should visit as many doctors as they can; interview them and question them about everything relating to their condition and their ability to help you…but remember, your primary care doctor has been doing this for a long time. They’ve got the benefit of having seen the results from different doctors and on the strength of their recommendation, you should have the confidence to know that you are making the right choice.

Here are a few things varicose vein patients should keep in mind:

  1. Remember, these are your legs. You deserve the best and you deserve to “Love Your Legs Again”.
  2. Don’t be frightened to ask your doctor tough questions.
    • Don’t just ask your vein doctor how long they have been in practice, ask them how long they have been doing these specific kinds of vein procedures. Ask them how many of these procedures they’ve done.
    • If your doctor is in private practice, ask them how long they have owned their own practice. This is important because getting things done right in a private practice is significantly more difficult than getting work done in a University Hospital or Big Box Medical System.
    • How many of these procedures have you done RECENTLY….if they do less than 25-30/ month, you might want to seriously consider finding another option
    • What kind of complications might you expect…every person is different and if your doctor says your legs will look as good as they did when you were 20, you might want to consider seeing someone else.
    • Who does your ultrasounds…are your ultrasound techs RVT’s (Registered Vascular Technologists?) Are they done “in-house” by full time Vascular ultrasonographers or are they done by “travelling” ultrasonographers who just work in their office a few times a week and who are not full time employees of the medical office.
    • Most importantly, is your Vascular lab IAC Accredited? This is especially important as your doctor will make their diagnosis on the basis of your ultrasound report and an IAC accreditation guarantees the best of the best studies are being done at that particular lab.
    • Who reads the ultrasounds….is it an RPVI registered physician, not simply a radiologist… as the two physicians will look for vastly different signs relating to vascular disease and health. Keep in mind if the study isn’t read correctly, the procedure can go poorly.
  3. Finally, ask your “Vein Specialist” about what happens if you have a complication Ask your provider if they have “Admitting privileges” at the local hospital in the event something goes wrong during the procedure and what their plan is if their procedure fails.

 

EXPERIENCE COUNTS WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR HEALTH!

 

South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute brings 24 years and 20,000 vein procedures to you as our patients. As the leading independent Vascular Surgery practice in the San Francisco Bay Area, more local independent physicians refer their vein patients to Dr Kokinos than to any other vascular surgeon in the greater Silicon Valley Region.

WE OFFER HOPE WHEN OTHER SAYS THERE IS NONE!

Call us today at 408-376-3626 to schedule your vein consultation

FACTS ABOUT PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE (PAD) FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS

Posted on by Angelica Rodezno

One in every 20 Americans over the age of 50 has P.A.D., a condition that raises the risk for heart attack and stroke. Peripheral arterial disease, or P.A.D., develops when your arteries become clogged with plaque—fatty deposits that limit blood flow to your limbs, especially your legs. Just like clogged arteries in the heart, clogged arteries in the legs mean you are at risk for having a heart attack or stroke.

P.A.D. is more common in African Americans than any other racial or ethnic group. This may be in part because some of the conditions that raise the risk for developing P.A.D., such as diabetes and high blood pressure, are more common among African Americans.

The following article written by the US Department of Health and Human Services provides an exceptional overview of their ongoing research and findings about PAD in the African American Community. We encourage any of our patients interested in learning more about how PAD impacts this community group to click on the following link.

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/heart/pad_extfactsheet_aa_508.pdf

Dr. Polly G Kokinos, a board certified Vascular and General Surgeon in Campbell, CA. is recognized as one of the regions foremost authorities in the diagnosis and treatment of PAD. With offices in both Campbell and Gilroy, CA. Dr. Kokinos has dedicated her 24 year career to serving the South County community as a Vascular Surgeon and is a pioneer in the evaluation and treatment of patients suffering from Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Unlike other Vascular Surgeons in the region who do their work at a local hospital or in shared facilities, Dr. Kokinos’ does her surgeries in a private, nationally accredited Vascular Surgery Center of Excellence. She focuses entirely on treating patients suffering from complex vascular disorders and unlike a traditional hospital she has the most advanced imaging and device technology available anywhere in the world. Most importantly, unlike a University or community hospitals, Dr. Kokinos’ patients experience the individualized care of “One Patient, One Doctor and One Nurse” rather than the cold, informal “production” environment of a typical hospital.

If you or anyone you love suffers from any of the conditions listed above, please call our office at 408-376-3626 or contact us to schedule an appointment. Most insurances are accepted and our staff typically can schedule an appointment within a few days for an initial consultation and non-invasive vascular ultrasound study. All ultrasound testing is done in our on-site Vascular Ultrasound Lab, The Institute for Vascular Testing making it significantly easier for our patients to be fully evaluated in a single visit and in a single facility.

South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute: We Offer Hope When Others Say There Is None

NOT JUST VASCULAR CARE, EXCEPTIONAL VASCULAR CARE

Posted on by Angelica Rodezno

Your health care is complicated enough… finding the right Vascular Surgeon shouldn’t be!

Experience counts when it comes to your health

Polyxene (Polly) Kokinos MD. RPVI. Board Certified in Vascular and General Surgery

Silicon Valley’s Most Trusted Vascular Surgeon.

Dr Kokinos…The Confidence of knowing you made the Right choice for your Vascular care.

  • The confidence of knowing that your vascular surgeon has been taking care of South Bay patients with vascular disease for almost 30 years.
  • The confidence of knowing that your surgeon built her private practice one patient at a time for almost a quarter of a century…BECAUSE referring PHYSICIANS TRUST Dr Kokinos to deliver the best possible outcomes for their patients: even in the most difficult of circumstances.
  • The confidence of knowing that your surgeon delivers both world class and compassionate care. That Dr Kokinos is the only Vascular surgeon in the South Bay who has built an independent, nationally accredited, state of the art Vascular Surgery Center of Excellence where SHE takes care of her patients…where cutting edge care is at the heart of everything that she does.
  • The confidence of knowing that your surgeon has earned the trust of local physicians. More independent local physicians refer their vascular patients to Dr Kokinos than to any other vascular surgeon in Silicon Valley.
  • The confidence of knowing you will receive the most Advanced and Innovative Care found anywhere in the world…No other vascular surgery practice in Silicon Valley offers a combination of the imaging, device and care options that South Bay Vascular Center can offer to their patients in their private, AAAASF nationally accredited ambulatory surgery center dedicated entirely to the treatment of complex vascular disease. “We offer hope when others say there is none”
  • The confidence of knowing you will receive Personalized Care…” One Doctor, One Patient, One Nurse” …We’re NOT a hospital; we are more. That’s why we provide individualized care. At South Bay Vascular Center, we care for you as a person, not just as another patient. Our job is to understand the “why” so that you have real solutions to living a healthy life.
  • The confidence of knowing you will receive Simplified Care: ALL your vascular care under one roof. Clinical care, Vascular Ultrasound care, and Surgical care. All your care in a single facility.

South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute. Silicon Valley’s Vascular Surgeon.

ARE YOU AT RISK FOR PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE (PAD)?

Posted on by Angelica Rodezno

WHAT IS PAD?

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a common and often underdiagnosed circulatory disease where blood flow to the legs and feet is restricted by the narrowing of blood vessels due to plaque buildup.

ARE YOU AT RISK FOR PAD?

  • Smoking is the most powerful predictor of PAD: Are you a current or former smoker?
  • 1 in 10 Americans over the age of 40 have PAD
  • Do you or your loved one have diabetes?
  • Struggle with high blood pressure or cholesterol?
  • Suffer from kidney disease?
  • Risk for amputation is 10 times greater in patients with both PAD and diabetes vs PAD alone

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT PAD CAN BE TREATED!

With an early diagnosis, you may have more treatment options and may have a better chance to reduce or eliminate your symptoms. Left untreated, however, PAD can lead to amputation and put you or your loved one’s quality of life and long-term health at serious risk.

Dr. Polly G Kokinos, a board certified Vascular and General Surgeon in Campbell, CA. is recognized as one of the regions foremost authorities in the diagnosis and treatment of PAD. With offices in both Campbell and Gilroy, CA. Dr. Kokinos has dedicated her 24 year career to serving the South County community as a Vascular Surgeon and is a pioneer in the evaluation and treatment of patients suffering from Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Unlike other Vascular Surgeons in the region who do their work at a local hospital or in shared facilities, Dr. Kokinos’ does her surgeries in a private, nationally accredited Vascular Surgery Center of Excellence. She focuses entirely on treating patients suffering from complex vascular disorders and unlike a traditional hospital she has the most advanced imaging and device technology available anywhere in the world. Most importantly, unlike a Univeristy or community hospitals, Dr. Kokinos’ patients experience the individualized care of “One Patient, One Doctor and One Nurse” rather than the cold, informal “production” environment of a typical hospital.

If you or anyone you love suffers from any of the conditions listed above, please call our office at 408-376-3626 to schedule an appointment. Most insurances are accepted and our staff typically can schedule an appointment within a few days for an initial consulation and non-invasive vascular ultrasound study. All ultrasound testing is done in our on-site Vascular Ultrasound Lab, The Institute for Vascular Testing making it significantly easier for our patients to be fully evaluated in a single visit and in a single facility.

South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute: We Offer Hope When Others Say There Is None

LEG SWELLING: SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS

Posted on by Angelica Rodezno

Do you Suffer From Iliac Vein Compression?

To answer that question, take a few seconds to consider the following:

  • Are your legs swollen? Is your left leg larger than your right?
  • Is it harder to slip one shoe on in the morning than the other?
  • Have you had cosmetic or other surgical procedure done and not gotten the outcome you wanted?
  • Are you a cancer patient undergoing treatment or procedures?
  • Have you ever suffered from a blood clot or (DVT) in your leg
  • Do you visit a wound care clinic with little to no success?

If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, you MAY be suffering from a well known, but previously difficult to diagnose problem called May-Thurner’s Syndrome.

May Thurner’s Syndrome, also known as iliac Vein Compression, is a condition where the main artery supplying blood to the leg pushes down or compresses the main vein taking blood back to your heart. In the illustration below you can see in the far right graphic a “representation” of this compression. One way to help think of what happens when a patient suffers from iliac vein compressions is to consider what happens when a car tire partially runs over a garden hose in your driveway.

If the hose was “on” when you drove over it, water will continue to come out of the hose end but the flow rate will decrease. In a similiar way, blood returning to your heart will continue to flow if you have developed iliac vein compression, but the rate at which it returns is slowed down, resulting in a pooling of blood (i.e. swelling) in your leg.

Chronic pain and swelling in one leg (especially the left side) may be caused by Iliac Vein Compression. This is a little-known but fairly common condition that can greatly impact your quality of life—and may lead to more serious complications. In fact, studies have shown that in a full 30% of ALL people, the left iliac vein can be significantly compressed by the right iliac artery resulting in some kind of leg symptom….aching, heaviness, and most commonly, swelling or non-healing of wounds in the leg veins.

Swollen legs ARE NOT a normal part of aging or weight gain. And it’s not something you have to “just live with.”

Leg swelling is a special area of interest of Dr. Polly Kokinos, and she has been active in doing clinical research to find better ways to diagnose and to treat this condition. To diagnose and to treat this condition and the potentially deadly side effects caused by it (Blood Clots or Deep Venous Thrombosis) Dr. Kokinos has assembled a highly skilled team of vascular ultrasonographer’s who have developed a specialized screening protocol to evaluate for Iliac Vein Compression. Using state of the art ultrasonic imaging technology Dr. Kokinos’ Registered Vascular Ultrasonographer’s use this new protocol to scan up into the abdomen of their patients to examine the physics of the blood flow in this area. If a compression is identified during this ultrasound exam, Dr. Kokinos is able to further verify and treat this problem using a super specialized device called IVUS (Intra-vascular ultrasound) where she can insert a miniuture camera into the actual vein to determine the length of the compression after which she can place a stent to “re-open” this compressed vessel to re-establish normal blood flow.

To date, Dr. Kokinos has successfully performed over 200 of these iliac vein stent procedures in her state of the art out-patient angiography suite. She has lectured extensively at major vascular surgery meetings on her approach and success helping patients reduce leg swelling, increase the rate of wound healing and return to a normal way of living and is seen by her peers as an expert in this technique.

If you are currently experiencing a swollen leg, have a non healing leg, foot,or ankle wounds or have ever suffered a blood clot (DVT) please contact our office at 408-376-3626 to schedule an appointment.

Don’t suffer from swollen legs or non-healing leg ulcers any longer.

We can help!

A SWOLLEN LEG IS NOT NORMAL

Posted on by Angelica Rodezno

Leg Swelling: Iliac Vein Compression
Chronic pain and swelling in one leg, (especially the left side) may be caused by iliac Vein Compression. This is a little-known but fairly common condition that can greatly impact your quality of life – and may lead to more serious complications. Leg swelling is NOT a normal part of aging or weight gain. And it’s NOT something you have to “just live with.”

Leg swelling is a special area of interest of Dr. Polly Kokinos, and she has been active in doing clinical research to find better ways to diagnose and to treat this condition. South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute is recognized as the leading treatment center for evaluating and treating left leg swelling. If you have been told there is nothing to do for your leg swelling, call us at 408-376-3626 for an evaluation. We offer hope when others say there is none!

About Iliac Vein Compression:
Iliac vein compression (also known as May-Thurner Symptom) is an anatomic condition that occurs when the left iliac vein gets squeezed and compressed between the lumbar spine and the right iliac artery. This compression prevents the adequate drainage of blood from the leg, which can cause serious problems such as swelling, aching, blood clots, and non-healihg ulcerations. (See Diagram)

Symptoms:

  • Swelling, heaviness and aching in one leg, especially the left leg
  • Recurrent blood clots, especially in the left leg
  • Non healing wounds or dark dry skin in the ankle or shin

Solutions
South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute is the leading leg swelling clininc in Northern California offering cutting-edge treatment options that very few other facilities can deliver. We are at the forefront of diagnosing Iliac Vein Compression using regular vascular ultrasound and in treating it with the newest endovascuar techniques using IVUS (intravascular ultrasound) and stents in an outpationt office setting.

If you or a loved one are suffering from leg swelling or any other vascular problems, please call our office today at 408-376-3626 to schedule an appointment. Our offices in Campbell and Gilroy remain open to safely treat patients even during the COVID-19 crisis.

DOES YOUR PATIENT HAVE PAD? A REFERENCE GUIDE FOR PHYSICIANS

Posted on by Angelica Rodezno

Does Your Patient Have PAD? A Reference Guide for Physicians

Know the Facts about Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 18 million people in the United States suffer from Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), a common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs. Although estimates suggest that anywhere from 12 to 20 percent of individuals over the age of 60 are living with PAD, most Americans remain unaware of PAD symptoms.

Unfortunately, as many as 180,000 Americans will undergo a limb amputation as result of PAD-related condition this year. But amputation is not the only answer! Identifying arterial disease early may improve a patient’s quality of life and allow early medical and surgical interventions to lower the risk of critical limb ischemia and amputation.

As a physician, you are your patients’ first line of defense. So it is critically important to be on the lookout for typical symptoms of Peripheral Arterial Disease, which can include:

  • Leg pain with walking
  • Numbness in the toes
  • Wounds on the toes or feet
  • Gangrene

Individuals with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes are at greatest risk for PAD. Anyone who has suffered from diabetes for over 15 years should be evaluated by a vascular surgeon.

The Importance of Early Detection and Proper Diagnosis

Dr. Polly G. Kokinos, a board-certified Vascular and General Surgeon in Campbell, CA, is recognized as one of the region’s foremost authorities in the diagnosis and treatment of PAD. Dr. Kokinos has dedicated her entire career to serving the South Bay community as an independent physician and a pioneer in the treatment of patients suffering from Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Early detection and treatment are critical to controlling the disease and allowing patients a full selection of treatment options. In an effort to help front line doctors better evaluate and diagnose PAD, Dr. Kokinos has given many lectures to primary care physicians, internists, podiatrists, and orthopedic surgeons about the management of lower extremity arterial and venous disease and the signs and symptoms to look for.

Due to the complex nature of vascular disease, an evidence-based multidisciplinary approach is essential to early assessment, proper diagnosis, and optimal treatment.

How Treatment for PAD Has Changed

Over the past 15 years, the interventional treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) has changed significantly. Minimally invasive endovascular procedures have replaced many traditional surgical procedures as the dominant intervention.

More recently, pedal access techniques, which access the blocked area from the toe instead of a traditional access point in the patient’s groin, have shown, in certain instances, to be significantly more successful than earlier methods of revascularizing the impacted area. Because Dr. Kokinos has performed more pedal access approach procedures than anyone in Northern California, she can provide patients with more options for treating their disease.

Other treatment options for PAD include medical management, exercise and lifestyle modifications, and surgical bypass amputation (when absolutely necessary).

South Bay Vascular Center & Vein Institute: Designed for PAD Treatment

Founded by Dr. Polly Kokinos, South Bay Vascular Center & Vein Institute is a nationally accredited Vascular Surgery Center of Excellence. Unlike traditional hospital operating rooms, this state-of-the-art facility in Campbell, CA was specifically designed as a PAD intervention and treatment facility.

At South Bay Vascular, physicians leverage advanced technology (including Ziehm C-Arms with Flat Panel Detectors and Phillips Intra Vascular Ultrasound imaging systems) to provide the most advanced surgical techniques available in this area.

With a vast inventory of specialized medical devices not found in traditional operating rooms, South Bay Vascular’s surgeons can perform advanced, minimally invasive surgical procedures to provide the best possible outcomes in the most difficult circumstances.

If you suspect any of your patients may have symptoms of Peripheral Arterial Disease or other complex vascular or arterial issues, we would be honored to meet with them to discuss their symptoms. Please refer them to South Bay Vascular Center & Vein Institute (with offices in Campbell and Gilroy, CA) or call 408-376-3626 to schedule an appointment.

For more information, go to southbayvascular.com.