Vein diseases are serious blood vessel issues that require immediate and continued care from an experienced vein doctor. Finding the best vein doctor, surgeon, or phlebologist is crucial for long-term wellness and preventing further problems. Call Downtown Vein & Vascular Center today to schedule a consultation with an experienced vein doctor. Dr. Sergei A. Sobolevsky is an experienced and board-certified endovascular specialist, recognized in diagnosing and treating vein diseases. He uses state-of-the-art facilities and offers the highest level of care to treat vein disorders. You can look forward to an individualized treatment plan that helps you feel good and participate in activities you enjoy.

If you have painful swelling in the legs or large and twisted veins on your legs, how can you determine if you need a vein specialist or a vascular surgeon? There are differences in the area of expertise between a vascular surgeon and a vein specialist. Read on to understand the difference between these specialties and how they can help you find relief from venous diseases and disorders.

What Is a Vein Doctor?

You will find three broad groups of physicians who call themselves vein doctors. They include vein specialists, vascular surgeons, and phlebologists. When you are suffering from circulatory conditions, varicose veins, or any venous disease, you should consult the right doctor who can examine, diagnose and treat venous conditions effectively.

No matter what type of vein issue you have, consulting with a specialist can help you seek the best care for your ailment.

When Do You Need a Vein Doctor?

Vein health is essential for our overall health and well-being. Veins are responsible for carrying blood back to the heart and keeping the heart strong and healthy, helping the body to function properly. It would not be wrong to say that veins are a vital piece of the puzzle called life.

It is necessary to protect our veins and ensure they continue to function optimally. If you develop a vein complication or disease, seeking medical attention is crucial. A vein specialist can determine the extent of the vein problem, diagnose the condition accurately, and recommend the best treatment to cure it and prevent further damage.

Vein Specialist

A vein specialist is a doctor who specializes in treating varicose veins and spider veins and the underlying condition associated with them, chronic venous insufficiency. Vein doctors deal with the diagnosis and treatment of all vascular and vein diseases. Many practicing doctors with varied backgrounds can become vein doctors. They usually study to become a vein specialist to supplement their current practices. Vein specialists are board-certified in their corresponding fields but have specialization in treating varicose veins and chronic venous disease.

A vein specialist should have formal training in endovenous procedures during residency and fellowship training. Qualified vein specialists also possess a training background in vascular surgery, interventional radiology, or interventional cardiology. You must look for vein doctors at vascular clinics that are led by board-certified vein specialists.

Vein specialists undergo extensive procedural and medical training in their respective areas. Remember, vein specialist is not trained to perform invasive surgery as vascular surgeon, but they often learn some aspects by attending courses. When searching for a vein specialist, you must determine for how long he has been treating patients with venous issues.

Who Is the Best Vein Doctor by Specialty?

If you suffer from varicose veins, spider veins, or chronic venous insufficiency, you must see an ABMS board-certified specialist with a focus on varicose vein disease management. It is essential to select a highly trained physician with specialty-specific training in vascular disease.

You must remember that not all vein doctors are vascular surgeons, as they are not trained to perform invasive surgery. A vein doctor can be a phlebologist, vascular surgeon, or vein specialist. They each have a particular specialty and training for venous diseases. While there are some significant differences, all of them can help in treating conditions relating to veins or arteries.

The American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine (ABVLM) officially certifies and recognizes vein doctors who distinguish themselves with advanced residency and fellowship training in vein care and minimally invasive spider vein and varicose vein treatments. To maintain their board certification, vein doctors are required to pass several challenging tests and stay updated with the latest development in vein care. This makes them offer the best care for any type of vein disorder and disease.

Vascular Surgeons – What Do They Do?

Vascular surgeons are experts in the entire vascular system. They have the experience and qualifications to treat all venous and arterial diseases. They possess formalized training backgrounds in the management of vascular diseases. While modern varicose vein treatment no longer requires surgery, you may need to see a surgeon to learn about your condition and treatment options in case of complications.

Their expertise is not limited to invasive surgery but also non-invasive ones. Some of the invasive surgeries they perform include:

Carotid artery surgery
Angioplasty
Aortic aneurysm surgery
Vein and artery grafting

Vascular surgeons complete 5 years of general surgery training, followed by 2 years of sub-specialty training for vascular medicine. In doing so, they undergo rigorous training in the diagnosis and management of surgical disease, including endovascular, and minimally invasive techniques. Cardiology and interventional radiology fellowships often work in collaboration with vascular surgery programs to provide in-depth training for trainees.

As they complete their training programs, vascular surgery fellows are tested for ABMS (American Board of Medical Specialties) board certification and must demonstrate their competency in managing diseases related to blood vessels.

Advantages of seeing a vascular surgeon

They are fully capable of managing both simple and complex vein diseases with their extensive knowledge and training
They can provide complete care for both pre and post-procedure management
They can treat many conditions that affect blood vessels in every part of your body
They hold hospital operative privileges
They can provide complete post-operative care, including for any potential complication that may result after the procedure

Make sure the vascular surgeon you visit treats vein disease with modern, non-surgical techniques as needed. It is because every training program has different exposures to endovascular treatment, and vein diseases can be better managed with minimally invasive procedures rather than vascular surgery. With his expertise and experience, a vascular surgeon can help patients manage chronic conditions throughout their lives.

Phlebologists

A phlebologist is a doctor that specializes in examining, diagnosing, preventing, and treating vein disorders, venous diseases, and anything else that is medically related to veins. Phlebologist is derived from the term phlebology, meaning blood vessels, which refers to the type of medicine that has to do with veins.

A phlebologist uses diagnostic procedures, including ultrasound and vein function tests to treat varicose veins, vein inflammation, thrombotic diseases such as deep vein thrombosis, and venous and skin changes caused by chronic vein insufficiency.

Phlebologist vs. Vascular Surgeon

While both are a type of vein doctor, they have their specialty and functions. While a phlebologist only focuses on the treatment and rehabilitation of basic venous disease symptoms, a vascular surgeon can treat diseases related to veins or arteries and also perform surgery if needed.

In addition to this, phlebologists only need to pass a written exam and prove with a case log that they have been involved in vein treatment. On the other hand, a vascular surgeon has to undergo years of studies to become an expert in all things related to veins and arteries. Board certification in phlebology is very different from an ABMS Board Certification and should not be considered an equivalent certification. If a patient has complications with their vein-related problem and requires invasive intervention, the phlebologist will refer them to a qualified surgeon.

How to Choose a Vein Doctor

If you are searching for the best vein specialist to help treat your condition, you must focus on finding out what to look for in a vein doctor. It is essential to note that while any physician is capable of treating varicose veins, every physician is not a specialist.

You don’t have to go to just any doctor for your vein condition. You must look for an experienced and board-certified doctor who is an expert in vein health, vein diagnosis, and treatment. You should see someone who performs vein procedures regularly, has the right education and background, years of experience, successful results, and satisfied patients.

Vein health is important, and you must take it seriously. Finding the right vein doctor is the first step towards getting the right help for your pain and discomfort to learn what kind of venous disease you have and the type of treatment you need. Downtown Vein & Vascular Center is a premier destination for diagnosis and treatment of endovascular diseases. Dr. Sergei A. Sobolevsky is board certified endovascular specialist, experienced in all types of vein problems, and finds the causes of leg, pain, arm pain, and other blood vessel issues. He ensures you get the safest, most effective, minimally invasive treatment that address your symptoms and prevent complications resulting from abnormal vein conditions.

Sergei Sobolevsky, MD, is a leading specialist in endovascular medicine with experience in vascular and interventional radiology. Dr. Sobolevsky has decades of experience in the field, with over 25,000 procedures performed, accumulating extensive experience in image-guided minimally invasive medicine, diagnosing and treating a range of conditions.

Dr. Sobolevsky earned his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree in 1997 from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He received his specialty clinical training in vascular and interventional radiology at Harvard University. Later, he earned his MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor and named to the Top Doctors New York Metro Area in 2020, 2021, and 2022, Dr. Sobolevsky is licensed in multiple states, has delivered presentations at numerous institutions in the US and abroad, and now acts as a clinical advisor for the biomedical industry. He also held multiple positions in the field during his career, including Chief of Vascular and Interventional Radiology at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York, NY, Senior Vice President in Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at Artann Laboratories in North Brunswick, NJ, and Medical Director at the American Endovascular and Amputation Prevention Center in Brooklyn.

More About Dr. Sobolevsky

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