Come Visit our
State-Of-The-Art Outpatient Facility
We are proud to provide quality healthcare to our patients.
Devoted to giving you your legs back.
At VIM, our goal is to provide world class arterial and venous
vascular care in a comfortable out-patient setting.
Our passion is to treat each patient as an individual. We will listen to your concerns and formulate a treatment plan that is tailored to your needs.
Our office staff has combined for over 50 years of experience dedicated to the care of patients with vascular disease.
– Dr. Eric Dippel
ABOUT OUR PRACTICE
Here at VIM you are the most important thing to us. Our friendly staff is dedicated to your compassionate care.
PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE
PAD often causes life-style limiting leg pain. VIM can diagnose and treat you in the office.
LIMB SALVAGE
Limb salvage refers to going to all lengths to prevent amputation in patients that have non-healing wounds on their feet. We can often treat you when have had no options in the past.
VARICOSE AND SPIDER VEINS
Venous disease is more common than arterial disease and ranges from a cosmetic issue to severely disabling. At VIM, we treat the entire gamut.
ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
Erectile dysfunction is often caused by underlying vascular disease. Dr Dippel was involved in a pioneering study using stents to treat this problem.
PELVIC CONGESTION SYNDROME
Pelvic congestion pain is often caused by an underlying venous problem that can be treated easily with an out-patient procedure.
MESENTERIC ISCHEMIA
Occasionally, chronic abdominal pain can be caused by an underlying vascular problem. VIM can diagnose and treat this disorder in the office.
CAROTID ARTERY DISEASE
Blockages in the neck arteries can cause a stroke. Dr Dippel is the only physician in Eastern Iowa or Western Illinois that can treat you with a stent and possibly avoid surgery.
OUR TEAM
A company is only as strong as the team behind it.
Meet our team and find out why we’re passionate about what we do.
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Eric J Dippel MD FACC
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Lori Schwarm ARNP
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Amy Olsen DIRECTOR | RT (R) RCIS
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Laura Shiltz RN
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Jenny Thompson Sonographer RT(R) | RVT
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Cheri Hirstein Intake Coordinator
OUR SERVICES
We provide many exciting services that will leave you with a smile on your face!
At VIM, we diagnose and treat PAD. PAD is caused by arteries to the legs becoming blocked with cholesterol plaque, the same way arteries in the heart become clogged and cause a heart attack. This is a common problem that affects many people in the United States. PAD can cause leg pain and fatigue with walking; in its worst form, it can lead to amputations. We treat the entire spectrum of PAD with a particular passion for limb salvage—preventing amputations in people who have previously been given no other options. Our goal is to give you your legs back, so that you may enjoy your life. again.
Many patients with Diabetes, Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), and other illnesses causing nerve damage or poor blood circulation often experience slow or non-healing foot wounds due to the decreased blood supply. These wounds can not only be difficult to treat, but can also persist after weeks of cleaning, antibiotics, and hyperbaric oxygen. If the wounds are left untreated, they can also lead to complications such as infection, gangrene and amputation. Limb salvage treatment exists to treat these recurring circulation issues before amputation is considered, and is often a successful alternative for those who had no other options in the past. “Wound care and limb salvage requires a team approach of healthcare providers. VIM works closely with the wound clinics and your referring physicians to give you the best possible outcome. We are dedicated to doing everything possible to prevent an amputation.”
Venous disease is 3-5 times more common than arterial disease. Arteries and veins are completely different, are often confused, and develop separate diseases. Arteries bring blood away from the heart; veins bring blood back to the heart. In your legs, this means that the blood must flow upward against gravity. Veins have one-way valves that prevent the blood from flowing backwards, but often as we age these valves fail. This allows blood to reflux backwards and pool in the legs. The legs become swollen, congested, and ache. The legs feel heavy and fatigue easily. In addition, patients frequently experience nighttime leg cramps. These large bulging veins are called varicose veins and are often much more than a cosmetic problem. They can be painful and throb, often causing serious life style limiting symptoms. If they are bad enough, patients can develop sores or ulcers on their legs that can be slow to heal. Spider veins are also caused by pooling blood, but are usually small red, blue, or purple veins on the surface of the skin. While spider veins can cause pain, more often they are a cosmetic problem. At VIM, we diagnose and treat the entire gamut of venous disease in a comfortable out-patient environment.
Often times erectile dysfunction is caused by poor blood supply into the pelvis and is a form of PAD. The same process that causes arteries to become clogged with cholesterol plaque in the heart or legs can occur in the arteries of the pelvis. Diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking cause arteries to clog up. The first line of therapy for ED are the drugs that dilate your arteries, such as Viagra®, Cialis®, and Levitra®. However, if these drugs lose their effectiveness, then sometimes a stent can help improve the blood flow into the pelvis.
Pelvic congestion syndrome is often characterized as a dull aching chronic pain that is worse with standing and improves with lying down. It is typically caused by varicose veins deep in the pelvis. These veins can often be treated with a minimally invasive out- patient procedure. Venous disease is not the only cause of chronic pelvic pain, so patients should be evaluated by their primary care physician and/or their gynecologist to rule out other problems first.
The main arteries in your neck, called your carotid arteries, can become clogged with cholesterol plaque like other arteries in your body. Approximately 1/3 of all strokes are caused by carotid artery blockage. A stroke can have devastating consequences and even be fatal. Often times all that is needed for the treatment for these blockages is aggressive risk factor modification. However, if the blockage becomes severe enough, the traditional treatment is to have surgery on your neck. Dr Dippel was an early pioneer of placing a stent in the carotid artery to open it up and possibly avoiding surgery. This can be done with a minimally invasive out-patient procedure.
Mesenteric ischemia is a problem where the arteries to the gut are clogged up with cholesterol plaque and the blood supply to the abdomen is reduced. This often causes severe abdominal pain, particularly after eating meals. Patients often will avoid eating to avoid pain and will lose weight. If the arteries to the gut are significantly blocked, a stent can be placed to open them up. Of course, there are many other reasons why patients can have chronic abdominal pain, therefore, patients should undergo a thorough evaluation by their primary care physician and/or their gastroenterologist to rule out other problems first.
Angioplasty (also called percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, or PTA) is a procedure in which a thin, flexible tube called a catheter is inserted through an artery and guided to the place where the artery is narrowed.
When the tube reaches the narrowed artery, a small balloon at the end of the tube inflates for a short time. The pressure from the inflated balloon presses the fat and calcium (plaque) against the wall of the artery to improve blood flow.
Atherectomy is a term used to describe removing the plaque from the artery. This technique is often used in conjunction with a balloon and a stent. The catheters are directed into position using x-ray movie equipment to treat the blockage in the artery. There are different types of atherectomy catheters that use different means to remove the plaque, some devices are better for certain situations depending on the composition. of the plaque.
A stent is a wire mesh tube that holds and artery open and keeps it from closing. A metal stent becomes a permanent part of the artery. Newer stents are being made of absorbable material, like sutures, that will dissolve after several months. Stents are inserted into the artery on a thin flexible plastic tube called a catheter. The stent is positioned across the blockage using x-ray movie pictures. Once the stent is deployed, the catheter is removed and the stent is left behind.
Venous ablation is a term used to describe the treatment of varicose veins. There are several different ways to comfortably perform this procedure in an office setting. The Venefit® procedure (formerly called VNUS Closure®) uses radio frequency energy to safely and effectively ablate varicosities. Another emerging technology that is offered is VenaSeal® which uses cyanoacrylate adhesive to glue the veins closed.
Sclerotherapy is a procedure that is done safely in the office by injecting a medicine into varicose or spider veins. This causes the vein to collapse and close. It is a virtually painless procedure that takes only a few minutes and can have dramatic results.
WHAT OUR PATIENTS SAY
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VISIT OUR OFFICE
VIM
3385 Dexter Court, Pavilion 3, Suite 100
Davenport, IA 52807
25634
GIVE US A SHOUT
Administrator@VIMidwest.com
P: 563-324-3818
F: 563-326-4280
OFFICE HOURS
Mon – Thurs: 8am to 4pm
Friday: 8am to 12pm