About Willamette Vein Centre'. . . . . .
What do Oregon, Washington, California, Alaska, Idaho, Wyoming, British Columbia, New York, New Jersey, Florida, South Carolina, Texas, West Virginia and the Philippines all have in common?
The answer is that practicing physicians from each of these states have traveled to Williamette Vein Centre' in Salem to be trained in phlebology -- in just the last three years.
Willamette Vein Centre' was established in 1994 by Dr. Benjamin R. Wilson, a general surgeon, and Dr. Thomas Sims, a family practice specialist. Because of the increasing interest in the field of vein treatment nationwide, in 1997 Sclerotherapy Training Services was incorporated as a subsidiary of Wilamette Vein Centre' in order to provide advanced training in phlebology to graduate physicians. Since then more than 100 physicians, nurses, and physicians assistants have been trained by either Dr. Wilson or Dr. Sims. Willamette Vein Centre' is one of only several places in the nation that offer training in ultrasound guided sclerotherapy for practicing physicians.
Willamette Vein Centre' was by no means the first medical facilty to perform sclerotherapy in Oregon -- that honor goes to some unknown physician perhaps as long as 100 years ago. Sclerotherapy has been done around the world for at least a century using a variety of medications. In fact, the most common drug used for sclerotherapy, sodium tetradecyl sulfate, was first approved for use by the FDA in 1947.
Since it's inception, though, Willamette Vein Centre' has been the first facility and group of physicians in the Northwest to make use of a number of vein treatment innovations.
These include:
- The first to use in-office ultrasound examination for evaluation of varicose veins.
- The first to use ultrasound guided sclerotherapy in the treatment of varicose veins.
- The first to do thermal ablation of veins using endovenous laser treatment.
- The first to do thermal ablation using local anesthesia in an office environment.
- The first physician in the northwest to limit his practice to phlebology.
- And, of course, the first and only medical facility that offers graduate Physician training in phlebology.
Because of Willamette Vein Centre's expertise and experience, they were selected by the US FDA in 2001 as one of only ten facilities to do investigational studies involving endovenous laser treatment. Results from Willamette Vein Centre' along with the other nine facilities led to the FDA approving this cutting edge treatment in 2002. Since then the treatment has almost completely eliminated the need for patients to have varicose vein strippings. It is presently used by over 900 medical facilities across the nation.
At Willamette Vein Centre' you will be evaluated and treated by a board certified physician who dedicates his practice exclusively to the treatment of venous disorders. Vein treatment is not a sideline at Willamette Vein Centre'; it is our sole concern.