Many of our patients hear about us from friends, family, and neighbors. Others are introduced thorough health fairs or vein screenings. And for some, the initial office consultation will be their introduction to the VSS team.

If you suffer with symptomatic varicose veins, spider veins, leg swelling or venous ulcers, we suggest a vein consultation at Vein Specialists of the South, LLC in Macon, Georgia. A vein consultation includes a medical history and physical examination focusing on your presenting complaints and a duplex ultrasound examination of the leg veins when indicated to determine the underlying source of your problems. The goal is to understand the reason you came to see us, identify the root cause of your problem and develop a plan of care to treat the underlying source of your vein problems and correct the visibly damaged vein.

Dr. Harper is convinced that a vein consultation should include a general history and physical examination along with the vein specific exam. Several times a year we diagnose a patient with a serious medical condition during our general history and physical exam and then make an appropriate referral to their primary care provider or a specialist.

For most, the consultation includes a detailed venous ultrasound examination by one of our Registered Vascular Technologists who work in our IAC certified vascular lab for venous testing. These RVTs have years of venous ultrasound experience and Dr. Harper is available for consultation with them when necessary. The exam is then reviewed and interpreted by Dr. Harper, a Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation (RPVI). The ultrasound findings allow our team to create a ‘map’ of the deep and superficial vein blood flow identifying the normal and abnormal veins and is used in creating a treatment plan.

The hallmark of a dedicated phlebology practice is the consultation and diagnostic testing. Patients who see us for a second opinion are impressed with our attention to detail. The stress test for vein function is to perform the ultrasound in the standing position. We have specialty designed platforms for venous testing in each consultation room. Others aids like a hand held Doppler and a trans-illumination light allow us to further evaluate the superficial veins.

Using the ultrasound venous map as a visual aid we will present your findings including our diagnosis and treatment options. Our treatment recommendations always reflect the individual nature of each patient and each leg. The goal is to treat the bad veins and leave the good ones. In other words, there is no cookie cutter approach to specialty vein care.

Another distinctive of VSS is our high definition photo archiving system. Our specialized photo system allows us to record detailed images in standardized positions and lighting for comparing your response to treatment.

Before your consultation is completed, our goal is for you to understand the nature of your problem and have your questions answered, making sure you are comfortable with the treatment options. Because of the detail of the appointment please allow 90 – 120 minutes for your initial visit.

When you choose to proceed with your treatments they will be scheduled, allowing time for insurance approval. Dr. Harper’s staff will provide you with a list of pre-operative instructions which allow you to achieve the best possible results.