Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
Plaque narrows leg arteries and reduces blood flow, causing leg pain with walking and wounds that heal slowly. PAD can also signal higher heart attack and stroke risk.
Better circulation for healthier legs
Leg pain when you walk, swelling, varicose veins or a possible blood clot? Our team finds the cause with simple tests and treats many problems with minimally invasive, outpatient procedures.
- Minimally invasive options
- Outpatient care, no hospital stay
- Insurance checked before your visit
- Se habla español
Why it matters
Artery and vein care close to home
Healthy blood flow keeps your legs strong, your skin healthy and your wounds healing. Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to your legs, and veins carry it back to the heart. Narrowed arteries can starve muscles and skin of oxygen, and weak or blocked veins let blood pool in the legs.
Advanced Joint Pain & Vascular Center provides vascular care with testing and treatment through Heart Vascular & Leg Center. Your first visit is about finding the cause of your symptoms. Most circulation tests are painless, and many treatments are done through a small puncture or in the office, with a short recovery.
Common symptoms
Does this sound familiar?
If any of these keep you from the things you enjoy, a visit can help find the cause and the options that fit you.
- Leg pain when walking that eases with rest
- Cold, numb or pale feet
- Aching, heavy or tired legs
- Swelling in the ankles or legs
- Bulging or twisted veins
- Sudden swelling and pain in one leg
Conditions we treat
Conditions we evaluate and treat
Varicose and spider veins
Bulging, aching or visible veins in the legs, often from leaking vein valves.
Chronic venous insufficiency
Weak valves let blood leak back and pool, causing swelling, aching, heaviness and skin changes.
Leg swelling and skin changes
Heavy, swollen legs and darkened or thickened skin, checked with vein testing.
Blood clots (DVT)
A clot in a deep vein, usually in the leg. If a clot is suspected, an ultrasound can often be done the same day.
Deep vein blockage
A large vein in the pelvis can be squeezed or scarred, often after a past clot, causing swelling and heaviness. A venogram and deep vein stent can reopen it.
Carotid artery disease
Narrowing of the neck arteries that supply the brain, which raises stroke risk. We check them with ultrasound.
Dialysis access problems
Fistulas and grafts can narrow over time. A fistulagram finds the problem, and angioplasty or a stent can restore flow.
Treatments
Treatment options
Every plan starts with an evaluation. Your provider reviews your history, imaging and the treatments you have tried, then explains which options may fit.
TreatmentCirculation testing and first-line care
Painless tests such as the ankle-brachial index (ABI) and arterial or venous ultrasound show how blood is flowing. Many plans start with a walking program, quitting smoking, compression stockings and medicines.
- Most tests use ultrasound or blood pressure cuffs
- Same-day clot ultrasound for most insurances
- Many plans require compression before vein procedures
Who it may help: Anyone with leg pain, swelling, visible veins or wounds.
TreatmentAngiogram, angioplasty and stenting
An angiogram uses dye and X-ray to find narrowed arteries. A small balloon can open the narrowing, and a mesh tube (stent) may keep it open. All of this is done through a small puncture, usually in the groin or wrist.
- Often outpatient; many go home the same day
- Rest a few hours while the site is checked
- No large incision
- Take antiplatelet medicine exactly as prescribed
Who it may help: People with PAD symptoms that limit daily life, or poor blood flow threatening the leg.
TreatmentAtherectomy
A catheter with a tiny cutting, sanding or laser tip removes plaque from inside the artery. It is often combined with angioplasty, especially for hard, calcified plaque.
- Catheter-based, through a small puncture
- Done in our main office
- Used when a blockage needs more than a balloon
Who it may help: Selected people with narrowed or blocked leg arteries.
TreatmentVein closure
The leaking vein is closed from the inside with ultrasound guidance, and blood reroutes through healthy veins. Options include radiofrequency ablation (RFA, heat), VenaSeal (medical adhesive), Varithena (prescription foam) and mechanochemical ablation (MOCA).
- Done in the office with local numbing
- Usually under an hour
- Walk out the same day
- The closed vein is absorbed over time
Who it may help: People with symptoms from leaking veins confirmed on ultrasound.
TreatmentSclerotherapy and phlebectomy
Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy closes veins below the skin with an injected medicine. Ambulatory phlebectomy removes bulging veins through tiny nicks, usually without stitches. These are often done along with vein closure.
- Little downtime
- Spider vein treatment is often considered cosmetic
- Treated veins fade gradually
Who it may help: People with symptomatic surface veins, often after treating the leaking vein.
Find out which options fit you
Our team checks your insurance before your visit.
What to expect
From first visit to follow-up
Your first visit
We ask where your legs hurt, swell or ache, check the pulses in your legs and feet, and look at your skin and veins.
Painless testing
Tests like ABI and ultrasound find the cause of your symptoms. If a clot is suspected, ultrasound can often be done the same day.
Your treatment plan
You and your specialist make a plan together. Most plans combine healthy habits with treatment. We verify your benefits, including any compression stocking requirements, before a procedure.
Follow-up
After a vein procedure, you may have a follow-up ultrasound within about a week. After an artery procedure, we check your recovery and plan long-term care.
Our team
Led by experienced physicians
Chief Medical Officer
Vinod Kumar, MD, FACC, RPVI
Dr. Kumar is a board-certified cardiologist and vascular specialist who leads the Heart Vascular & Leg Center and Advanced Joint Pain & Vascular Center team. He treats arterial and venous disease, nonhealing wounds and joint pain with minimally invasive, image-guided techniques, and trained in joint embolization in Tokyo with Dr. Yuji Okuno.
Serving Kern County since 1992Part of Heart Vascular & Leg Center.
Minimally invasive careImage-guided options, done as outpatient procedures.
Insurance checked firstWe verify coverage and referrals before your visit.
Se habla españolOur team speaks English and Spanish.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is PAD?
Peripheral artery disease happens when fatty plaque builds up inside the arteries of the legs, narrowing them and reducing blood flow. Many people have no symptoms at first. A quick, painless ABI test helps check your circulation.
Are varicose veins just cosmetic?
Not always. Varicose veins can cause aching, swelling and skin changes. Spider veins are often a cosmetic concern, but sometimes they are a sign of a leaking vein underneath, so an ultrasound can help.
Why do I need compression stockings first?
Many insurance plans require you to wear compression stockings for several weeks before they cover a vein procedure. Our team will tell you what your plan requires.
What if I think I have a blood clot?
A sudden swollen, painful or warm leg can be a sign of a blood clot. We offer same-day ultrasound evaluation for most major plans. If you have chest pain or shortness of breath, call 911 instead.
What are the risks?
Artery procedures can cause bleeding or bruising at the puncture site, a reaction to contrast dye or, over time, the artery narrowing again. Vein procedures commonly cause bruising and tightness. Your specialist will talk with you about the risks before you decide.
Do you accept my insurance?
We accept Medicare and many other plans. Coverage depends on the procedure and your plan, and we explain expected costs before your procedure is scheduled.
Locations
Find a location near you
Enter your ZIP code or city to see our offices sorted by distance. Procedures are done at our main center; our other offices see patients for consultations and follow-up visits.
Visit us
- Call for an appointment
- (661) 324-4100
- Locations
- 8 offices across Central and Southern California. Find the one nearest you
- Main website
- heartandleg.com