Vein Center
As many as 1 in 5 Americans – including more than half of the population over 50 years of age – suffer from the painful effects of varicose veins. The Vein Center at the Watson Clinic’s Heart & Vascular Institute offers the latest “non-invasive” vascular treatment options for those who suffer from varicose veins, as well as spider veins.
Watson Clinic is proud to offer a team of board-certified and fellowship trained interventional radiologists who have mastered new technologies which allow them to treat many vein issues in an in-office, outpatient setting usually lasting less than an hour and involving minimal patient discomfort. Prior to this new technology, many people had to endure extensive surgical procedures performed in a hospital setting.
Whether treating spider veins due to cosmetic concerns, varicose veins that are causing pain and swelling or full-blown ulcerations that have occurred in the legs, Watson Clinic offers treatments that consistently deliver proven results and patient satisfaction.
Vein Treatment Options
Varicose veins occur when the vein malfunctions, restricts blood flow, and enlarges through the surface of the skin as a result. An unsightly bulging, twisted appearance is not the only undesired effect that occurs when a vein becomes varicose. There can also be significant discomfort such as aching, heaviness and fatigue, and if left untreated, it can result in inflammation, blood clots, bleeding and ulcer formation.
Depending upon the severity of the condition and the desired result, we recommend you schedule an office visit with our Vein Center team and let them develop a treatment plan specific to your needs. There are a variety of treatment options available to both men and women:
Vnus is a popular non-surgical procedure which utilizes a special catheter that emits radiofrequency energy once inserted into the faulty veins. The RF energy shrinks the collagen in the vein wall and causes the vein to close. Vnus requires only a small entry point, and results in little or no pain and minimal downtime. Patients are usually active within a day following the procedure.
EVLT, or EndoVenous Laser Treatment, is a non-surgical option for eliminating unsightly and painful varicose veins at the source through targeted laser energy. The diseased veins shut quickly, in a procedure that generally lasts about an hour. Downtime is minimal following an EVLT procedure, with little or no resulting discomfort.
A Phlebectomy procedure is often chosen for patients who are not appropriate for Vnus or EVLT. A series of very small incisions are made at the site of the vein, at which point a small hook is inserted and used to remove the faulty vein from under the skin. Compression stockings are usually worn for two to three weeks following the procedure, though normal activities can resume within 24 hours.
Sclerotherapy treats varicose and spider veins through a medicinal injection that works to shrink the vein at its root. This option is usually reserved for purely cosmetic purposes.
These procedures are performed by board-certified Watson Clinic interventional radiologists Michael Addonizio, MD; John Bradshaw, MD; Evan Chambers, MD; and Carol Ebersole, MD, as well as Elizabeth Brown, ARNP. The procedures are performed in the comfort of an in-office setting at the Heart & Vascular Institute with patients under local anesthesia. Some of these procedures may be covered by insurance when proven medically necessary.
For more information or to schedule a consultation to determine which procedure may be best for you, please call The Vein Center at Watson Clinic’s Heart & Vascular Institute at 680-7003, option 1.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Dr. Michael Addonizio is board-certified in Radiology by the American Board of Radiology. He received his medical degree from Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. His areas of expertise is Interventional Radiology, with special emphasis on Interventional Oncology.
Dr. Addonizio completed a Internal Medicine Internship from Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation in New Orleans, LA and a Diagnostic Radiology Residency from the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY. He then went on to complete an Interventional Radiology Fellowship from the University of Florida/Shands Teaching Hospital in Gainesville, FL.
Dr. Addonizio joined Watson Clinic in January of 2011 and is a member of the American College of Radiology, Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology, Florida Medical Association and Polk County Medical Association.
Dr. John Bradshaw is board-certified in Radiology by the American Board of Radiology. He received his medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC.
Dr. Bradshaw completed a surgery Internship and Residency, from Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY and his Radiology Residency from Rochester General Hospital in Rochester, NY. He then went on to complete an Interventional Radiology Fellowship from Presbyterian University Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. He also did Military Service with the U.S. Army.
Dr. Bradshaw joined Watson Clinic in July of 1987 and is a member of the American College of Radiology and Radiological Society of North America.
Dr. Evan Chambers is board-certified in Radiology by the American Board of Radiology. He went to medical school at the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY.
Dr. Chambers completed a Pathology Internship at Emory University Medical Center, Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, GA and a Diagnostic Radiology Residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center in Bronx, NY where he was Chief Resident. He then went on to complete Neuroradiology Fellowships at the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco, CA; the Hospital Purpan, Toulouse in France; and the Hospital of Timone, Marseille in France.
Dr. Chambers is a member of the American Roentgen Ray, American College of Radiologists, Radiological Society of North American, American Society of Neuroradiology Society of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology and the National Medical Association - Radiology Section. He has been a member of Watson Clinic’s expert team of physicians since November of 1993.
Dr. Carol Ebersole is board-certified in Radiology by the American Board of Radiology and has been a member of Watson Clinic’s team of physicians since August of 1998. She received her medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine in Miami, FL.
Dr. Ebersole completed a Transitional Internship and a Diagnostic Radiology Residency at Brooke Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX. She then went on to complete a Fellowship from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, TX in Radiology, Vascular and Interventional Radiology.
Dr. Ebersole is a member of the American College of Radiology, Radiologic Society of North America (RSNA), American Roentgen Ray Society and the Society of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology (SCVIR).
To schedule an appointment, please call 863-680-7003, option 1.
Hours:
8 am - 4:30 pm (Monday - Friday)
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Physicians
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Providers
Elizabeth Brown, ARNP-C
Chris Bell, RPA, RA
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Location
1600 Lakeland Hills Blvd.
Lakeland, FL 33805