As UTMB’s Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery has grown, patients benefit from additional expertise and procedures to address their needs – including a new clinic at League City Campus focused on venous disorders.
Christina Guarin, MSN, APRN, ACNPC-AG, is part of the team behind this endeavor. Starting as a certified nursing assistant at age 16, her career has included military service as a hospital corpsman and a decade as an ICU nurse. When the chance to join UTMB’s vascular team arose, she saw an opportunity to help patients in a new way.
“Patients with chronic venous insufficiency suffer daily. Their legs are swollen and painful. Their skin is very tight, and because of all that extra fluid, a lot of these patients have blisters and ulcers that form up and down their legs. It can be a very long process before healing starts,” she says.
“Basically, we treat the root of the problem, which is the refluxing vein, and it turns down the fluid buildup in the legs, allowing those wounds to heal. And it does also significantly help with the swelling and the pain.”
Working alongside Dr. Christine Shokrzadeh or Dr. Ruth Bush, both faculty members in the division, Guarin has gained experience in a wide variety of venous procedures.
For patients experiencing venous insufficiency, which can cause long-term, painful swelling in the legs, Guarin completes the workup before the patient sees one of the physicians for an ablation. The team uses a new injectable product, Varithena, to treat those who are not candidates for ablation. Guarin also provides wound care for venous ulcers and completes post-op work for all procedures.
She says most venous procedures are performed outpatient under local anesthetic, with little to no downtime before the patient can resume their daily activities.
One of these procedures is sclerotherapy, a popular treatment for smaller varicose and spider veins. It is an injection-based treatment for blood vessel and lymphatic system malformations, shrinking the vessels.
Guarin independently sees patients for sclerotherapy treatments on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the LCC vein clinic. She said most patients she has seen have insurance approval for medical concerns, but she can perform the procedure for cash patients for cosmetic purposes as well.
“We get to help everyone,” she says. “When it's your leg, and you have a big varicose vein and you can see it, that could be significant to you. So even if the ultrasound doesn't reflect it, but it is something that bothers you, then it's good that we have that option available.”
Ultimately, she feels gratified by the opportunity to help patients enjoy a better quality of life – one of the reasons she has been motivated to continue a career in healthcare.
“It's been really amazing to watch the progression of some of these patients,” she says.
Providers who want to refer a patient for venous concerns may refer to Guarin, Shokrzadeh, or Bush in the Vein and Lymphedema Clinic. Learn more about vascular services at UTMB.
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