First Kansas Physician Specialist in the KC Area Has Successfully Performed the First VENASEAL Varicose Vein Procedure

​Live cases of the new venous disease closure technology, with FDA approved VenaSealTM  from Medtronic is being performed throughout the day at Smalling Vascular Institute. The recently FDA approved VenaSealTM closure system treats venous reflux disease using an advanced medical adhesive available now for the first time in Kansas City since the treatment medical glue began arriving in the US, as announced by Ronnie Smalling, M.D., FACC, FSCAI, veteran Interventional Cardiologist (IC). Dr. Smalling was contacted by Medtronic informing him and his staff that he is officially Kansas’ first and the the only KC area’s first physician authorized to offer treatments options on the latest ground-breaking technology.

Smalling leapt from being a hospital-employed IC after 23-years practicing in Springfield and Joplin, MO, to his own private practice setting. Kansas City is well-known for advanced Cardiology techniques and products. So what better environment for Smalling to move to a region where he is the only IC treating Venous Disease 100% in his new practice’s scope.

Moving to the Kansas City are in late 2015, Dr. Smalling began treating patients with venous reflux disease using the VenaSealTM closure system with his selected first patients throughout today, May 11, 2016, at his New Overland Park Vein Practice. The first case was completed successfully and the second case starts soon. Live coverage can be found on Smalling Vascular Institute's IN VEIN FaceBook. In addition, Medtronic VenaSealTM corporate representatives are on-site to answer questions for the media who would like to see first-hand or “live”, what makes The VenaSealTM closure system unique. This game-changing vein procedure is a new, minimally invasive procedure that uses an advanced medical adhesive to close the diseased vein in patients with symptomatic venous reflux disease.

Under-diagnosed and under-treated chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) or venous reflux disease, affects more than 30 million Americans.1,2 It occurs when valves in the veins of the lower leg no longer function properly. This valve dysfunction allows blood to flow backward with gravity, referred to as reflux, resulting in enlarged, or varicose veins as well as other symptoms.

“Varicose veins may be a sign of a more serious condition known as chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which in severe cases, can result in lifestyle-limiting lower leg pain, swelling, skin damage, and ulcerations,” said Cardiologist, Ronnie Smalling. “The VenaSealTM closure system is a new and innovative treatment option that improves blood flow by closing the diseased vein. The system has demonstrated effective clinical results and patients can often quickly resume their normal activities. It’s been said, depending on the stage of the disease, some patients never miss a beat playing on their tennis team.”

The VenaSealTM procedure is the only procedure to use medical adhesive to coapt and close the vein, with high closure rates across three impressive clinical trials.3,4,5,7,8 Additionally, patients treated with the VenaSealTM closure system often have minimal to no bruising,8 and can return quickly to normal activities.5 Of course, it should be noted that every patient is unique to some degree regarding post-procedure outcomes and possible side effects.

Unlike other heat-based treatments used in a vast majority of vein treatment centers across the US, the VenaSealTM closure system does not require administering tumescent anesthesia (multiple injections of a dilute local anesthetic), and eliminates the risk of potentially burning tissue around the vein ablated with heat. And similarly it reduces the chances of nerve injury associated with thermal based (heat) procedures.8 In a majority of cases, patients may not need to use compression stockings post procedure. .3,4,5* Patients usually walk out of the practice normally dressed, without compression, wraps or anything bulky. Two or more small band-aides, is all the first patients had on her legs when leaving Smalling’s practice this morning.

Kansas City –area residents interested in learning more about venous reflux disease, CVI and the VenaSealTM closure system can visit www.inveinmd.com or for a video demonstration, http://medtronicendovenous.com/patients/7-2-venaseal-closure-procedure/ or for research information, please visit www.medtronic.com for more information.

Contact: Happy Hayes, Smalling Vascular Instit.
O:912-913-3624; C: 423-903-2118

LIVE VIDEO REQUESTS: contact 
E:  hhayes@inveinmd.com