SubmittedDr. Scott Joransen, left, of Cardiovascular Institute of the South, used vein ablation to end the pain Diane Ricks was enduring in her legs.

When Macon native, Diane Ricks accompanied her husband, Jimmy, to his follow up appointment with his Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Scott Joransen, at The Cardiovascular Institute of the South in Meridian, she mentioned her ongoing and intense leg pain.

The pain had prevented her from living a full and active life for quite a while, Ricks said.

“In eighth grade, I had a job bagging groceries and standing on concrete,” Ricks said. “After graduation, I worked sitting all day long at a desk. These jobs impacted my overall health, and as a result, I began to have swelling in my legs; even the bottoms of my feet hurt.”

In September 2018, Ricks consulted with Joransen, and he determined that based on her symptoms of pain, swelling and cramping in her legs, the problem might be an issue with her veins. Joransen proposed a vein ablation, a procedure that uses energy to cauterize and close varicose veins.

“Her ultrasound showed significant leaking in the vein valves in both legs,” Joransen said. “This made Ricks the ideal candidate for a vein ablation.”

About 15 percent of adults in America have venous disease, which is caused by abnormal veins. When vein vessels become damaged or weak, blood flows backward and causes them to stretch, swell and hurt. Symptoms may include swelling, heaviness in legs, leg pain or cramping, discoloration of the skin, leg ulcers, or restless legs. While many cases of venous disease can be successfully controlled with dietary and lifestyle changes, some require further medical treatment either to reduce symptoms or improve appearance. Most of these treatments are minimally invasive and require little downtime.

Joransen has been practicing cardiology in Meridian since 2003 and performing vein ablation procedures on site at CIS-Meridian for several years.

“At first, I prescribed support hose for her, but they did not provide enough relief,” Joransen said. “I performed Ricks’ vein ablation on her left leg, then followed with her right leg one year later with good success.

“I am proud of Mrs. Ricks. Despite significant adversity in her life in recent years, she has kept a positive attitude and done a good job of taking care of her health, losing over 20 pounds.”

Ricks says she feels so much better. She now enjoys her retirement, playing with her grandchildren, cooking, and making her 10,000 steps from her home to her church parking lot.

“Dr. Joransen was a lifesaver for my husband and me,” Ricks said, with a smile. “Jimmy has recovered from his heart attack, and I can live my life to the fullest without pain.”