Frequently Asked Questions
•
About Appointments
-
To book an appointment with Dr. Smith, please fill out our contact form here or give us a call at (316) 686-1024.
-
Kansas Vascular Medicine accepts all insurance plans, Medicare and Medicaid. Dr. Smith’s office also accepts patients from the Veteran’s Administration (V.A.).
-
Referrals are not required, unless specified by insurance. Dr. Smith works closely with your primary care physician to improve and maintain your mobility.
-
Yes, Dr. Smith works closely with a patient's primary care physician before, during, and after treatment. Dr. Smith has performed more than 10,000 vascular procedures, 95% of which were outpatient. His passion and focus is to save legs, especially in diabetic patients, patients at risk for losing a limb, and those for whom wounds are not healing.
•
For Physicians
-
Inpatient: Dr. Smith provides inpatient practice at the Wesley Medical Center and Wesley Woodland Hospital in Wichita, KS.
Outpatient: Dr. Smith provides outpatient procedures at Cardio Kidney and Vascular (CKV) Ambulatory Surgical Center on Webb Rd., Wesley Woodlawn Hospital, and Wesley Medical Center.
•
Resources for Patients
-
Temporal arteritis is characterized by inflammation and damage to the blood vessels that supply blood to the head, neck, upper body and arms. It is also called giant cell arteritis.
Learn more about temporal arteritis here. -
Peripheral artery disease (P.A.D.) is a disease in which plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your head, organs, and limbs. When plaque builds up in the body's arteries, the condition is called atherosclerosis. P.A.D. usually affects the arteries in the legs, but it also can affect the arteries that carry blood from your heart to your head, arms, kidneys, and stomach.
-
A wound is a disruption of the normal structure and function of the skin and underlying soft tissue. Acute wounds in normal, healthy individuals heal through an orderly sequence of physiological events. When this process is stalled, a chronic wound may develop and this is more likely to occur in patients with underlying disorders such as peripheral artery disease, diabetes, and other problems.
-
Anticoagulant medications, often referred to as blood thinners, help prevent clots from forming in the blood. Anticoagulants are used in the treatment of some types of heart disease and to prevent dangerous blood clots. Novel, or new, oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are now available for treating some conditions where there is a risk of blood clots forming.
Learn more about blood thinners here.
-
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot (thrombus) forms in one or more of the deep veins in your body, usually in your legs. Deep vein thrombosis can cause leg pain or swelling, but may occur without any symptoms.
-
Leg swelling caused by the retention of fluid in leg tissues is known as peripheral edema. It can be caused by a problem with the circulatory system, the lymphatic system or the kidneys. You may also experience swelling due to fluid buildup after sitting or standing for a long time.
-
Lymphedema refers to swelling that generally occurs in one of your arms or legs. Sometimes both arms or both legs swell.
-
When blood flow to part of the brain stops for a short period of time – called transient ischemic attack (TIA) -– it can mimic stroke-like symptoms. These symptoms appear and last less than 24 hours before disappearing. TIAs are a serious warning sign that a stroke may happen in the future and should not be ignored.
Learn more about transient ischemic attack here.