8 years in-a-row! Check out San Diego Magazine, October 2018 issue of the ‘Top Doctors’ and see La Jolla Vein Care Doctors.
Read about Dr. Bunke and her amazing colleagues dedication to the field of venous disease, leading edge treatments and how they are leaders in the industry.
We are Committed to Veteran Care
La Jolla Vein Care is now a provider for The Veterans Choice Program with Triwest. We, at La Jolla Vein Care have a special place in our heart for veterans. Dr. Bunke herself ran the vein clinic at the VA Healthcare system, San Diego for over 5 years. Dr. Bunke’s father was a NAVY SEAL and grandfather also served in the military. Dr. Lucas’ husband currently is a Naval Surgeon. We are pleased to announce that we can provide our specialty care to VA patients if their wait time is longer than 30 days. This is possible due to The Veterans Choice Program with Triwest. To learn more information about how the Veterans Choice Program works please give us a call at 1-858-550-0330
Height may be a genetic risk factor for varicose veins
Tall patients frequently ask if their height contributed to the development of their varicose veins. Now, there may be an answer. A study at Stanford University School of 
Medicine study found a person’s height to be a significant risk factor for developing varicose veins. The exact reason is unknown. Intuitively, one would think the gravitational forces are greater in the leg veins of tall people. (Interesting side note, giraffes would be expected to develop varicose veins but do not: the reason for this is that their skin is firm, providing support like compression stockings). The correlation between varicose veins and height, may not be a structural or gravity-related issue but rather genetic.
“We not only found an association between height and varicose veins, but the genetic studies we did showed a causal link,” said cardiologist and study author Dr. Nicholas Leeper, an associate professor of surgery and cardiovascular medicine at Stanford. “That suggests that the genes and pathways that drive human height are also likely to be causing varicose veins.”
Another recent study in Russia, showed a particular gene in ethnic Russians, that was associated with the development of varicose veins, was also responsible for other traits such as rheumatoid arthritis and has a negative impact on human height, an opposite finding from the Stanford study.
To read more about the Stanford study, click here.
La Jolla Vein Care’s Founder, Dr. Nisha Bunke is Named an Industry Leader Finalist by San Diego MAGAZINE. This award recognizes an individual who is a dynamic and passionate leader who has a positive influence on others and works tirelessly for causes near and dear to her heart. Dr. Bunke’s contribution to the field of venous medicine, mentoring and advancing women in the health care field, and creating Recova, an innovative post-surgery cream.
Nisha Bunke, MD, FACPh, RPhS
Dr. Nisha Bunke Named Industry Leader Finalist by San Diego MAGAZINE 2018
As the first American physician to hold a fellowship in venous and lymphatic medicine, Dr. Bunke is renowned in her field, having coedited The Vein Book, medicine’s leading resource on venous disease; opened San Diego’s first vein clinic certified by the prestigious Intersocietal Accreditation Commission; and invented RECOVA, the first all-natural postsurgical bruise remedy. Driven by a passion for medicine, a dedication to improving patients’ quality of life, a commitment to collaboration in and outside her field, and a goal of growing her practice and advancing her field, Dr. Bunke also prides herself on developing the careers of her all-female staff.
“A colleague called me a ‘career developer.’ I like that,” she says. “I have a staff of ten motivated women. I enjoy supporting them to grow through training, conferences and by encouraging participation in clinical research and patient education.”
9850 Genesee Ave., Ste. 410, La Jolla, CA 92037 | 858.550.0330
San Diego’s First Accredited Dedicated Vein Center
La Jolla Vein Care is the only dedicated vein center in San Diego that is accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” that patients can rely on as an indication that the facility has been carefully critiqued on all aspects of its operations considered relevant by medical experts in the field of Vascular Testing and as a Vein Center.
How to Reduce Your Risk of DVT During Air Travel
woman passenger in terminal
There is a known correlation between air travel and deep venous thrombosis (DVT), which is a potentially fatal blood clot that forms in the veins of the legs. Blood clots in the leg veins occur in 1% of airline passengers on flights longer than 8 hours. The longer the flight, the higher the risk of DVT. There are a number of factors that contribute to the development of DVT during air travel. Prolonged sitting and non-movement of the legs cause blood to pool in the leg veins, making blood more susceptible to forming clots. This in combination with other factors such as potential hypoxia in the airplane cabin (Gavish) and dehydration may increase the risk of air travel related DVT. Individual risk factors include age over 40 years, gender (female), women who use oral contraceptives, varicose veins in lower limbs, obesity, pregnancy and genetic thrombophilia.
Deep venous thrombosis is when a blood clot forms within the leg veins
The term ‘economy class syndrome‘ has been used to refer to DVTs in passengers sitting in economy class- where there is limited leg room to extend the legs. People who have these risk factors are predisposed to hypercoagulability and are more susceptible to suffer venous thromboembolism during air travel.
Tips to reduce your risk of travel-related DVT and keep blood circulating in the leg veins.
#1) Move: Every 45 minutes, walk about the cabin when possible
If you are unable to walk, use your calf muscle pump by flexing and extending your feet.
#2) Wear graduated elastic compression stockings.
#3) Stay hydrated. People tend to drink less on-the-go. Drink frequently. Drink a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you drink.
#4) Wear loose, non-restrictive clothing
#5) Elevate your legs. If your seat lacks a foot rest, use a backpack to prop your legs up.
#6) Talk to your doctor if you have a known risk factor for forming blood clots, if you are pregnant or have recently given birth; use birth control or other hormone therapies or have an active cancer. When necessary, a blood-thinning medicine can be prescribed on the days of air travel to reduce the risk of DVT.
Reference:
1: Gavish I, Brenner B. Air travel and the risk of thromboembolism. Intern Emerg
Med. 2011 Apr;6(2):113-6.
La Jolla Vein Care is the first to offer Cryo-sclerotherapy in the San Diego area. Cryo-Sclerotherapy, also known as ‘painless sclerotherapy’ is the latest in luxury spider vein treatment. Cryo-Sclerotherapy is traditional sclerotherapy in combination with a Cryo device. The cryo device cools the surface of the skin before, during, and after injections. This helps reduce the discomfort from the needle injections and most of the time the ‘pokes’ are not felt at all when using the cryo device. Cryo-Sclerotherapy is considered an upgrade from traditional sclerotherapy and can be scheduled upon request for an additional $100 per treatment.
varithena foam
At La Jolla Vein Care, we are the experts in using foam sclerotherapy to treat varicose veins: we have performed thousands of successful treatments over a decade. We are pleased to offer Varithena foam. Varithena is the only FDA-approved foam treatment used to treat varicose veins caused by problems with the greater saphenous vein and other related veins in the leg’s greater saphenous vein system. Varithena is not thermal ablation and does not require multiple injections to numb the treatment site as with tumescent anesthesia. The administration of Varithena is minimally invasive: There are no incisions, sedation, or general anesthesia required. Patients can even go back to doing some activities the very same day as treatment, and the entire procedure should take less than an hour. Varithena® is a name brand of foam, that comes in a pre-made canister. Varithena® treats a wide range of varicose veins in the GSV system, including:
o Tortuous (twisted) veins
o Veins above and below the knee
o Veins with small, medium, and large diameters
o Veins previously treated with other methods.
Underlying Vein Problems are Not Visible to the Naked Eye
You wear compression stockings to improve blood flow in your legs. Compression stockings gently squeeze your legs to move blood up your legs. This helps prevent leg swelling and, to a lesser extent, blood clots.
person putting on compression stockings
If you have varicose veins spider veins, or have just had surgery, your health care provider may prescribe compression stockings.
Wearing stockings helps with:
source:https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000597.htm
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