“While I was sitting at my desk, my feet would swell badly,” says Karen Bankert. “A co-worker told me his wife sought treatment for her varicose veins from a wonderful local Vascular Surgeon, Ulises Baltazar…so I made my first appointment with him about a year ago. I had already been to other doctors on and off, but none of them gave me an answer like Dr. Baltazar. He told me with a gentle smile, ‘I know you won’t want to hear this, but welcome…you’ll be a lifelong patient!’”
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“Dr. Baltazar explained what no other doctor had told me. I suffer from a chronic genetic condition called venous insufficiency. Other doctors promised that simply zapping a vein would fix the problem, but it kept coming back. Dr. Baltazar explained that the problem will reoccur and that on my left leg venous insufficiency affects my deep veins. There’s no way to operate on those. Maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, and wearing compression stockings at least four times a week will help me live an active life.”
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“Seeing Dr. Baltazar is such a pleasure. He’s laughed with me and cried with me. When Dr. Baltazar tells you the truth, you appreciate it. He cares about his patients more than any doctor I’ve known. I also noticed a big difference in the way he made sure the environment was completely sterile before using a laser to collapse a vein. I told him I’d had the procedure done before by other doctors…but never with such attention to detail. Dr. Baltazar is the best doctor I’ve ever known.”
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“As part of my maintenance care, I go for checkups and it’s like visiting family. I walk in and they greet me by name. We talk about our lives and families. Dr. Baltazar is so concerned about catering to his patients that I’ve seen his staff order out lunch because he’s seeing patients on their lunch break…and working through his own! I feel so good knowing he’s there to take care of me!”

If you have venous insufficiency like Karen, faulty valves in your veins allow blood to flow backwards and pool, leading to discomfort and more serious problems. Dr. Baltazar says, “Venous insufficiency can lead to varicose veins and can be associated with potentially lethal clots in the deep venous system called deep venous thrombosis (DVT). As Karen discovered, I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all treatment. We might consider scelrotherapy, phlebectomies, or time-efficient, in-office laser vein removal. However, some larger veins can’t or shouldn’t be destroyed. The Greater Saphenous veins, for example, can be used for heart bypasses or to replace other faulty or blocked arteries in our body. We may treat those with lifestyle changes, compression stockings, and careful monitoring. My professional and personal success is based upon the quality of care I offer each and every patient…not the quantity of veins I treat!”

Ulises Baltazar MD, RVT, FACS
now affiliated with the renowned Methodist Cardiovascular Surgery Associates
281-240-8400
16605 Southwest Freeway Ste 505
(in the Methodist Professional Building 3)