Ep. 633 Pelvic Venous Disease: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments with Dr. Deepak Sudheendra

How do you differentiate between iliac vein compression, gonadal vein reflux, and Nutcracker syndrome in patients with chronic pelvic pain? Dr. Deepak Sudheendra, director and interventional radiologist at 360 Vascular Institute, joins host Dr. Ally Baheti to share his approach to evaluating and managing pelvic venous disease (PVD). --- Get the BackTable app https://www.backtable.com/app --- Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction01:43 - PVD Demand at Penn06:42 - Approach & Algorithm12:08 - Variation in Iliac Vein Compression15:58 - Treatment Approaches19:20 - Important Ultrasounds22:15 - Intra-Procedural Workflow31:14 - Iliac Vein Stenting and Avoiding Complications36:31 - Gonadal Vein Embolization and Working with Patients42:20 - Iliac Vein Embolization and Post-Op Care --- More about this episode Dr. Sudheendra's clinical algorithm for diagnosing PVD emphasizes the importance of patient history and specific symptoms over isolated cross-sectional imaging findings. He shares his approach to the pre-procedural workup, highlighting the necessity of a standing venous reflux ultrasound to rule out superficial venous insufficiency. Beyond the technical steps, Dr. Sudheendra emphasizes the "soft skills" of managing a venous practice: counseling patients on conservative treatments like pelvic floor therapy, explicitly setting expectations about postoperative back pain, and avoiding unnecessary bilateral stents in young women. Dr. Sudheendra details his intra-procedural workflow for diagnosing and treating PVD, providing a look into his unique preference for right internal jugular (IJ) vein access to perform venograms and place iliac vein stents. He explains how this approach allows him to consistently check inflow from the lower extremities, and shares his techniques for performing gonadal vein embolizations and accurately sizing iliac vein stents to prevent lifelong complications. --- BackTable Vascular & Interventional (VI) is the go-to podcast for interventional radiologists, vascular surgeons, and interventional cardiologists. Download the free BackTable app to get early access to new episodes, cases, and courses curated by physicians in your specialty. ► https://www.backtable.com/app