New York, NY – Liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures performed today. But for women suffering from lipedema, it can be a necessity for successful treatment of a rare but devastating disease. “Lipedema is a disease of lipid metabolism that almost exclusively affects women, typically in their 20s and 30s,” says Dr. David Greuner of Vein Centers Of NYC Surgical Associates. “Studies suggest that 11% of the female population is affected. Often misdiagnosed as ‘lymphedema’, or simply obesity, lipedema is characterized by a bilateral and symmetrical swelling of the lower extremities (excluding the feet), caused by the impairment of the body’s ability to distribute and store fatty tissue along with the enlargement of individual fat cells. This leads to cylinder appearing legs, often described as “cankles,” says Dr. Greuner.

This painful disease can affect overweight and healthy individuals alike and is not affected by weight loss. Women with thin upper bodies and localized fat deposits in the legs are typical of this disease. Although the exact cause of lipedema is unknown, hormonal disorders, stress and heredity have been listed as factors. Lipedema most commonly manifests during puberty, after pregnancy or during menopause. If left untreated, the disease prevents the lymphatic system from its ability to perform one of its most basic functions, the removal of water from the tissues, causing lymphedema, or buildup of water in tissue. If this occurs, fluid will accumulate and swelling develops. The immune system is also affected and the risk for cellulitis – or skin infections – increases.

When lipedema is diagnosed early, it is possible to prevent a significant expansion of diseased fat cells, and to alert patients to their heightened risk so they can take appropriate action.

Lipedema can be diagnosed using clinical history and physical examination. Physical signs of lipedema include: legs which are symmetrically enlarged between the hips and ankles (column leg), a ring of fatty tissue overlapping the top of the feet, the legs can be pale in color and feel comparatively colder than the rest of the body, skin has a dough – like feel, and often varicose veins can be seen under the skin. Patients usually complain about pain in their legs and knees, and tenderness when pressure is applied on the affected areas. The disease can often cause difficulty moving in its later stages.

While there are several conservative treatments that can reduce pain and the development of secondary lymphedema, they do not seem to have a long -term effect on the problematic fat tissue. Therefore, the only successful long term treatment for lipedema is tumescent lymph sparing liposuction. The procedure involves injecting a liquid solution into the legs to help numb the area and reduce blood loss before the unwanted fat is removed.

The patient is awake and assists during the procedure. Data suggests that with tumescent liposuction the surgeon can remove the excess fat and prevent the return of lipedema with little to no side effects. Research shows that lymph sparing liposuction yields good long -term results in reduction of pain and in stopping the progression of lipedema. The need for other therapies such as compression is greatly reduced in almost all patients, and in some cases can be eliminated after liposuction is performed.

For more information visit www.veincenters.net or call 888-286-6600

Having been trained in both traditional and minimally invasive surgery, and during its evolution I have watched techniques improve drastically in the last decade. I believe – with certain limitations inherent to the medical profession – in the next decade we will see technological growth similar to that in the 1990s in the computer industry.

Surgeons in America have amassed a broad based and widely taught basic skill set that will allow for exponential growth in minimally invasive techniques. Due to dramatic consumer demand and information technology, the biotechnology arena is expanding in leaps and bounds.

Not only are we able to perform more advanced techniques with less pain and scarring, but we are now able to see the benefits long term of these procedures that were not initially clear. Smaller wounds and less tissue damage initially resulted in the obvious shorter hospital stays and downtime, but other benefits that were not initially expected, are also becoming apparent.

We as surgeons have found that procedures that do not require incisions bring lower risks of nerve damage and “minor” complaints such as lymph node associated swelling that were not previously thought of as significant.

Because of the lower side effect profile inherent to minimally invasive surgery, the threshold to operate and stop the disease earlier in its course is often much lower. As more surgery is performed, improved outcomes are expected, and warranted.

As more and more data is tracked with regularity, we are realizing that quality of life is a major factor in patient outcomes, often just as important as the immediate surgical result.

Due to dramatically increased patient knowledge from widely available resources, patients are demanding the most cutting edge care. The educated patient wants more today than ever. The least invasive techniques with minimal scar and downtime, with the same or better result than conventional surgery. They deserve that.

Having been one of these patients in the past year, for a major surgery treated with robotic techniques, I can attest to all of these issues. I sought the best care, and I believe I had a phenomenal result.

The bar has been set at a new level. It is up to us as surgeons to not just deliver this higher level of care, but exceed it, and be able to communicate our techniques, concerns, and results in an effective manner to our new genre of patients. I look forward to not just meeting, but exceeding this standard.

New York, NY – Dr. David Greuner, surgical director of Vein Centers of NYC Surgical Associates visits The Dr. Oz Show with a live demonstration of No-Needle Sclerotherapy™ to eliminate spider veins on the legs without sclerotherapy injections.

In the segment Dr. Greuner eliminates unsightly spider veins for a woman in her thirties. “The device delivers electro-energy through a small hand piece,” says Dr. Greuner. “The energy heats and destroys unsightly spider veins in minutes with minimal discomfort and no down time.”

For more information or a consultation for treatment of spider veins, varicose veins and other venous disease, please visit www.veincenters.net or call 888-286-6600.

New York, NY – Dr. David Greuner appears on The Dr. Oz Show Thursday, Oct. 24th with a live demonstration of No-Needle Sclerotherapy™, a treatment that can eliminate spider veins on the legs without the need for sclerotherapy injections.

“I use a device which delivers electro-energy through a small hand piece,” says Dr. Greuner. “The energy heats and destroys unsightly spider veins in minutes with minimal discomfort and no down time.” For patients who also have varicose veins, Dr. Greuner says the No-Needle Sclerotherapy™ treatment can be complemented with a new scarless procedure, No-Knife Endovenous Laser™.

Dr. Greuner’s segment on The Dr. Oz Show segment is scheduled to air on on Fox 5 in the New York City area at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m on Thursday, Oct. 24th.

For more information or to schedule a consultation for treatment of spider veins, varicose veins or other venous disease visit www.veincenters.net or call 888-286-6600.

New York, NY – Kathleen has been suffering from the discomfort of unsightly varicose veins for over thirty years. “I’ve lived through the pain, the sensation of heat and the swelling which often got to the point where I had trouble walking,” she says. Kathleen sought help from cardiovascular surgeon Dr. David Greuner. This TV news story, “Vanish Veins” on CBS 2 New York shows how Dr. Greuner is treating Kathleen with No-Knife Endovenous Laser™, a minimally invasive and scarless treatment which he developed. For more information on No-Knife Endovenous Laser™ treatment for varicose veins visit www.veincenters.net or call 888-286-6600. Vein Centers of NYC Surgical Associates maintains locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island and New Jersey.

New York, NY – Dr. David Greuner, surgical director at Vein Centers of NYC Surgical Associates made a return visit to the Dr. Steve Show to educate viewers about varicose veins in men. This video clip of Dr. Greuner’s appearance tells the story of a male patient who consulted with Dr. Greuner for a combination of varicose veins and a leg injury he incurred in an accident. The patient is now undergoing a series of the latest treatments. Call 888-286-6600 for more information.

Dr. David Greuner, Surgical Director of Vein Centers of NYC Surgical Associates appears on The Dr. Steve Show this Sunday, Oct. 13th at 6:00 p.m. to discuss the latest advances in treating varicose veins. This segment focuses on men and varicose veins, with the story of a New Jersey man who has had vein problems since his early 20′s which were complicated by a leg injury. He is now undergoing advanced vein treatments.

“Men and women develop varicose veins in almost equal numbers,” says Dr. Greuner. “Over 40% of the male population is expected to develop venous problems by age 50,” he says. “The difference is that men usually wait longer to seek medical care later than do women.”

Vein Centers of NYC Surgical Associates offers the most advanced minimally invasive treatments for venous disease and varicose veins including No-Knife Endovenous Laser ™, a scarless procedure for varicose veins developed by Dr. Greuner.

For more information visit www.veincenters.net or call 888-286-6600.

Varicose veins can be eliminated effectively and without scars thanks to the latest procedures developed at Vein Centers of NYC Surgical Associates. Our surgical director Dr. David Greuner appeared in a segment on “The Couch” show on CBS Channel 2, telling the story of “Kathleen”, a woman who was affected by varicose veins for 37 years. Kathleen says she suffered pain and swelling in her legs, and a near constant sensation of heat which was very uncomfortable. “You could touch my legs and feel the heat,” she says. Kathleen recently had her second No-Knife Endovenous Laser procedure and she has seen remarkable improvement of her symptoms and in the appearance of her legs. For more information call 888-286-6600 or visit www.veincenters.net

Men Develop Bulging Leg Veins Nearly As Frequently As Women, But They Tend To Seek Help Later, says Cardiovascular Surgeon Dr. David Greuner.

New York, NY – “New techniques can eliminate varicose veins and treat venous disease with minimal downtime,” says Dr. David Greuner,  Surgical Director of  NYC Surgical Associates. “A New Jersey man who has had vein problems for years is undergoing advanced treatments that will correct a lifetime of discomfort and embarrassment,” says Dr. Greuner.

John, 48, says that he has had noticeably bulging veins on his legs for over 20 years. “It’s always been embarrassing,” he says. “I like to go the beach, but seldom too because I’m too self-conscious of my varicose veins to wear shorts.”

“John is a complicated case because he had deep vein disease as well,” says Dr. Greuner. “He also was in a motorcycle accident, which caused us to take a step by step approach to his treatment. We have completed treatment on his left leg, which was injured in the accident and now we are about to treat his right leg, which actually has worse varicose veins than did the left leg. “We address more than just cosmetic issues in the majority of cases,” says Dr. Greuner. “Many of patients have serious vein problems which may be addressed with a combination of advanced procedures.

“I hate the look of my legs, and the bulging veins cause a lot of discomfort,” says John, a computer systems consultant and resident of New Jersey. “Varicose veins run in my family; my dad underwent vein stripping surgery years ago, but more varicose veins developed after his surgery.”

“Most people don’t associate varicose veins with males but men and women develop varicose veins in almost equal numbers,” says Dr. Greuner. “Over 40% of the male population is expected to develop venous problems by age 50,” he says. “However, men tend to seek medical care later in the course of their disease than do women. All of our treatments, even for severe deep vein disease are essentially scarless,” says Dr. Greuner. “With the more advanced cutting edge treatments using image guidance the results are also far better, with near zero recurrence.”

For more information on treatment for men with varicose veins, call Vein Centers of NYC Surgical Associates at 888-286-6600 or visit www.veincenters.net.

Locations include Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island and New Jersey.

New York, NY – Dr. David Greuner and his patient Danielle appear on the Dr. Steve show with a demonstration of his new technique, No-Knife Endovenous Laser ™ which can be used to treat leg cramps and varicose veins without leaving any scars. Dr. Greuner is the Surgical Director at Vein Centers of NYC Surgical Associates.

Click on the image to view Dr. Greuner’s segment:

For more information visit www.veincenters.net or call 888-286-6600. Offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island & New Jersey.