Suburban Life - Bucks/Princeton - Issue #4 (April 2019)

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SL_DRSHAH_Profile_0419 . qxp_Profile 4 / 10 / 19 11 : 17 AM Page 1 D PROFILE Restoring the Flow People struggling with vein disease can “ look better , feel better , and live better ” with help from Dr . Mehul Shah of the Center for Vein Restoration . by BILL DONAHUE | photography by JODY ROBINSON toms of a condition called venous insuffi - Jean Rodgers feels a swell of pride when ciency , ” says Dr . Shah , a Fellow of the Society people remark that she doesn’t look her age . At 70 years young , for Vascular Medicine who trained at the world - renowned Cleveland Clinic . “ In most Rodgers attributes one key aspect of her youthful appearance to cases , venous insufficiency comes from leaky a chance encounter at a supermarket 25 years ago . valves in the leg veins , which can cause blood to pool in the legs due to reverse or “ At the time , my issue was spider veins “ I was 44 or 45 at the time , and this backward flow . Spider veins and varicose on my legs , but I was pretty sure it wouldn’t woman was probably the age I am now , ” veins are the more visible symptoms , but stop there , ” Rodgers says . “ My mother and recalls Rodgers , who lives in Paoli . “ I’m not many patients also complain of physical dis - her father suffered from vein disease , too . exactly sure why , but we started talking about comfort — the feeling of tired , heavy , aching , My earliest memories of my grandfather were varicose veins and spider veins , and she said or restless legs , for example , without the him wrapping his legs in ACE bandages if I ever needed it , she recommended that I visible surface veins . ” every day of his life to control the swelling . go to see this one particular doctor in King of Chronic venous insufficiency affects as My mother never did anything about it either ; Prussia who specialized in vascular medicine . many as 25 million Americans , though Dr . in summer , she wouldn’t wear anything that So that’s exactly what I did . ” Shah suggests only a fraction of that popula - would expose her legs . I knew I was going The doctor’s name : Mehul N . Shah , M.D . , tion — fewer than 2 million — seeks treatment , to go down the same road as time went on . ” FSVM , a board - certified vascular physician who in part because they wrongly assume the con - By Rodgers ’ 60th birthday , when she no - founded the Vascular Medicine Center , a King of dition is a normal part of the aging process . ticed a few varicose veins on the legs — Prussia practice that he operated for almost Furthermore , he says only a quarter of the 2 “ buckled and knotty - looking , ” as she describes threedecades . There , he and his staff specialized million receive appropriate treatment due to them — she knew precisely who to call for in treating patients struggling with a host of vein - frequent misdiagnosis . resolution . To this day , she continues to see relatedconditions , including spider veins , which “ Many people initially go to their primary Dr . Shah for preventive care at the Center for are small threadlike veins resembling spider care doctor , but primary care doctors are Vein Restoration in King of Prussia , where websor tree branches , and varicose veins , which not armed with the information or the tools he now serves as lead physician . are bulging ropelike veins that not only look un - needed to adequately diagnose it , ” he says . “ Spider veins and varicose veins are symp - attractive but also can be potentially harmful . SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM APRIL 2019 38 |

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SL_DRSHAH_Profile_0419 . qxp_Profile 4 / 10 / 19 11 : 11 AM Page 2 a terrific staff . ” Over the past 15 years , Martini of modalities to treat patients effectively . These “ What often happens is that the patient is has relied on him to treat her varicose veins minimally invasive procedures , which enable referred to the hospital to have a blood clot using modalities such as heat ablation and ul - patients to walk in and out of the office and ruled out for leg pain or swelling using an ul - trasound - guided Varithena . In the near future , then return to work the next day , include : ra - trasound exam ; the patient may be happy to she will visit his office for a micro - phlebectomy diofrequency or laser ablation , which delivers find out they don’t have a blood clot , but to treat a remaining varicose vein . uniform heat as a way to collapse the target usually there was no step taken to check for “ Dr . Shah has made the condition man - vein ; Varithena , an ultrasound - guided injectable leaky valves . Therefore , the condition is ageable , ” Martini says . “ I’ve been going to microfoam that fills and treats the desired missed , but the patient continues to live with him for so long , and I feel so comfortable section of the target vein ; and VenaSeal , a discomfort or swelling . going there . I plan on being a patient of his for proprietary medical adhesive used to close “ If they come to a facility like ours , ” he as long as he practices . ” the target vein by sealing it shut . For cosmetic continues , “ they would receive comprehensive While women are at the greatest risk of spider veins , Dr . Shah uses sclerotherapy with care to assure that they receive the right care developing vein disease , men are hardly im - a cold - air machine , or cryo - sclerotherapy , from the start . ” mune — as West Chester resident Kevin Dono - which makes it virtually painless . van * can attest . Donovan was born with Klip - When applicable , Dr . Shah may recom - pel - Trenaunay syndrome , a rare congenital mend a micro - phlebectomy , a minimally in - disorder characterized by venous abnormalities , vasive procedure often done in tandem with among other symptoms . He has been a patient laser or RF ablation , to treat the residual of Dr . Shah’s for more than eight years . bulging varicose veins , which Dr . Shah calls “ I had gone to a number of doctors , and “ the tip of the iceberg . ” The same veins will every one said I couldn’t do anything about not come back after treatment , he adds . In it , ” says Donovan , now in his early 40s . “ In addition , he often prescribes certain lifestyle addition to varicose veins , I’ve had a constant changes , such as weight control , exercise , aching and heaviness in my right leg , but Dr . and the use of compression stockings . Because Shah has done a few procedures that have varicose veins with symptoms and treatment helped me feel better . He makes each proce - are considered medically indicated , they are dure as painless as possible . Now I’m back to covered by insurance . see him every six months or so . ” “ I wouldn’t wish varicose veins on anyone , Treatment can provide relief from the visible As a result , Donovan says his quality of but people should know that the condition is symptoms of venous insufficiency , as well as the physical discomfort and swelling . life has improved greatly . The discomfort has not something they have to live with , ” says subsided , and he no longer worries about the Bernadette Wasmer , a Telford resident who aesthetic concerns that dogged him for too has been a patient of Dr . Shah’s for several Solving the Problem long . Whereas he used to be self - conscious years . “ Dr . Shah has all kinds of procedures In 2019 , Dr . Shah joined the Center for Vein about wearing shorts or otherwise exposing he can do to solve the problem . Some of the Restoration , a nationally recognized leader in his affected leg , he says Dr . Shah’s treatment treatments sound as though they will be very the treatment of varicose and spider veins , has made it so “ you can’t really tell that I have painful , but you never feel more than a pinch . with more than 75 locations and growing . a problem . ” He has the magic , so you know he must love The Center for Vein Restoration’s mission : “ To In other words , Dr . Shah and the Center what he does . ” improve lives in the communities we serve by for Vein Restoration have enabled patients of This level of care and attention to detail is providing state - of - the - art vascular care in a all ages and backgrounds to “ look better , feel what another longtime patient , Nora Martini , compassionate and affordable manner . ” better , and live better . ” appreciates most about Dr . Shah . The West Depending on the location , size , and po - “ Varicose veins are unsightly , and that’s a Chester resident describes Dr . Shah as a “ trust - sition of the vein , as well as the patient’s huge consideration for a lot of people , but worthy , professional , and caring doctor with lifestyle , Dr . Shah can choose from a number what’s most important is what happens down the road as people age , ” adds Rodgers , Dr . Shah’s longtime patient from Paoli . “ You don’t want to get to the point where you’re putting your health at risk . ” She remembers all too clearly the unfor - tunate progression of her grandfather’s vein disease . After years of going without adequate treatment , he had open ulcers on his legs . “ The treatments that Dr . Shah provides make all the difference , in terms of how you look and how you feel , ” she says . “ Besides that , he’s very calm and gentle , and he has a great sense of humor . If I didn’t like Dr . Shah and have faith in his abilities , I wouldn’t have ? been a patient of his for 25 years . ” D THE CENTER FOR VEIN RESTORATION Dr . Shah offers a number of minimally 170 N . Henderson Road invasive procedures that enable patients to Suite 302 , King of Prussia , Pa . walk in and out of the ( 800 ) FIX - LEGS office and then return to work the next day . www.CenterForVein.com * Name changed by request to protect anonymity

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