by Matt Batcheldor
Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute has acquired VeinCare Centers of Tennessee, a Clarksville, Tennessee-based clinic offering minimally invasive vein treatments using cutting-edge technology.
The addition of the clinic, now known as Vanderbilt Vascular Surgery Clarksville, will allow patients greater access to Vanderbilt-quality care closer to home. It also adds to the Vanderbilt family Stephen Daugherty, MD, the clinic’s founder and a board-certified surgeon, regional pioneer and national leader in treating complex venous disorders.
Vanderbilt Vascular Surgery Clarksville, located on the campus of Tennova Healthcare – Clarksville, specializes in treating patients with everything from common varicose vein problems to complex venous compressive syndromes, such as May-Thurner Syndrome, Nutcracker Syndrome and Pelvic Congestion Syndrome. Such diseases are often not well understood by clinicians who do not specialize in vein disorders, said Daniel Clair, MD, professor and chair of Vascular Surgery.
“These are often not diagnosed early,” Clair said. “Often patients experience a great deal of pain and suffering and are seen by multiple physicians without a proper diagnosis. Dr. Daugherty is regionally and nationally known for his reputation in dealing with these complex venous problems.”
Daugherty, who received his undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt before receiving his medical degree from Emory University, began the vascular practice in Clarksville in 1994. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a diplomate of the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Vein and Lymphatic Society.
He was the first physician in the area to perform now-common percutaneous “needle-stick” techniques, thermal ablation to treat varicose veins, and venous angioplasty/stenting for blockages, among other techniques.
New patients at Vanderbilt Vascular Surgery Clarksville begin with a thorough clinical evaluation and detailed venous ultrasound studies by skilled vascular technologists.
“You can’t get this kind of ultrasound just sending the patient to a hospital ultrasound department,” Daugherty said. “It’s a high-level of specialization, venous ultrasound, which is critical to our assessing the patient and diagnosing what’s going on.”
Once diagnosed, patients receive minimally invasive treatments in the clinic, not a hospital, returning home the same day. Once treated, most patients recover quickly. They are continuously monitored to determine if follow-up treatment is necessary and taught how to maintain vein health, fighting the effects of age and gravity, as Daugherty says.
In the coming months, Daugherty will be joined by other Vanderbilt vascular specialists, expanding services for patients, as the practice becomes further integrated into the Vanderbilt Health system.
“We’re very committed to very high-quality care,” Daugherty said. “I’m really thrilled to be combining forces to advance venous care in this community and at Vanderbilt, too. Vanderbilt is providing the resources for us to continue a very sophisticated vein practice, to build on it, and to develop a nationally known center for evaluation of chronic pelvic pain and venous disease associated with it. That’s aspirational, but we’re going to try hard to get there.”
