A Franciscan Physician Network doctor’s success in using ultrasound from inside the vein to help remedy slow-healing leg wounds drew attention at an international conference last month.
Dr. Michael Flisak made the presentation on Jan. 29 at the International Symposium of Endovascular Therapy in Hollywood, Fla. Dr. Flisak shared his original data on the process of wound closure or lower extremity venous ulcer therapy. A venous skin ulcer is a sore on the leg that is very slow to heal, often due to poor circulation.
Dr. Flisak said recent studies have shown that all patients with venous ulcers in their legs should be evaluated for compression syndrome in the pelvic veins. However, such treatment is routinely not done. In his practice, Dr. Flisak has turned his focus to checking for compression syndrome if a conventional ultrasound finds no significant problems. He performs an ultrasound from inside the veins in the pelvis to find out if the pelvic veins are getting compressed, thus causing circulation problems that would slow the healing process.
Dr. Flisak said his approach using intravascular ultrasound to evaluate compression syndrome in the pelvic veins is a novel one. In performing more than 500 ultrasound procedures from inside the veins, he’s seen excellent results, which he was able to share at the symposium. Dr. Flisak said patients who would benefit from this therapy are those who have slow-healing leg wounds, whose legs are severely swollen without any identifiable cause or who have significant varicose veins.