From Procedure to Pain Free

Tracey King, a semi-retired piano and vocal coach, was living a busy life. Until her leg slowed her down.

“My right leg felt heavy,” says Tracey, a Taylor resident who is now 65. “It had been bothering me for a while, and I started to get a rash and discoloration around it.”

The cares of everyday life, including taking care of her mother-in-law, prevented Tracey from getting her leg checked out right away. Eventually, she developed a painful lump on her calf, which turned purple and grew veins in it.

“I felt like the frog in the pot,” Tracey says. “The heat just kept rising, and eventually it got too hot and I wanted to jump out. Nothing would make my leg feel better. It was so painful, and it would throb. I knew I needed to get this taken care of.”

Tracey’s medical and family history were also on her mind.

“I’ve had type 2 diabetes for 20 years, which I’ve kept under control,” Tracey says. “My father also had it, but he ended up losing both of his legs below the knee, so I was concerned.”

Tracey saw her primary care doctor, who referred her to a dermatologist, who couldn’t determine what the issue was.

Getting an answer

During this time, Tracey’s husband was also dealing with some circulatory issues, and she accompanied him to an appointment at Henry Ford Medical Center – Fairlane with Paul Corcoran, M.D., director of the Henry Ford Vein Center.

“Dr. Corcoran was so kind and relatable,” Tracey says. “I asked him if he could take a look at my leg, too."

He did, and confirmed to Tracey that she should make a separate appointment so he could do a full assessment.

After running some tests to measure the blood flow in Tracey’s leg, Dr. Corcoran diagnosed her with chronic venous insufficiency—a condition that affects blood flow from the leg veins to the heart. If left untreated, it can cause blood to pool in the legs, which in turn can cause varicose veins and leg ulcers.

“He told me that my main leg veins were not functioning properly, and that they had made other pathways,” Tracey says. “These were causing the painful spot.”

One simple procedure

“He gave me a couple of different procedure options,” Tracey says. “I chose VenaSeal because it would get me back up to speed faster. I’m very busy and it was the time of year that I was gardening.”

VenaSeal is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a medical adhesive to seal off and collapse the damaged veins and “reroute” the blood flow through nearby, healthy veins.

“Dr. Corcoran told me I would need to take it easy for a couple of weeks after the procedure, but otherwise I would be good,” Tracey says.

The procedure, which was done with Tracey fully awake, involved inserting a thin catheter (flexible tube) and wire into the base of her calf and threading it all the way up to her groin. Once the catheter was fully in place, the wire was pulled out, and surgical glue was used to seal the affected area.

“I was very impressed with the whole procedure,” Tracey says. “The tech guiding Dr. Corcoran was so professional, and there were only a few times when it was uncomfortable. Before I knew it, it was done.”

Tracey got up to walk right after the procedure and couldn’t believe that she didn’t feel pain anymore.

“It was the first time in years that my leg felt normal,” Tracey says.

Back to living life to the fullest

Since having the procedure done, Tracey’s family has seen the difference it has made in her life. “Before the surgery, I had to make compromises, especially with my two granddaughters,” Tracey says. “They love to bake and have a fairy garden, but some days I would say, ‘let’s just watch a movie,’ because I didn’t feel up to anything physical. Now I can do everything I want to do, and I’m so grateful to Dr. Corcoran and his team, because now I can do what I love to do."

“If I could tell others who are dealing with this situation one thing, it would be don’t worry—and don’t put it off,” Tracey says. “I wish I would have done it sooner.”