Bay Village Man Walking Miles Again after Vascular Surgery

Mark Carlson of Bay Village, Ohio, struggled with circulation problems in his legs for years. In 2010 he suffered from deep vein thrombosis and experienced two pulmonary embolisms. He sought treatment which included the placement of an IVC filter, but he put his own health on the backburner when his wife got sick.

“It was a stressful time. She needed constant care,” Mark said. “My daily walks helped to clear my mind. I would walk five or six miles a day.”

Mark’s wife passed away in 2022 and his health problems persisted. About a year later he scraped his shin climbing over a chain link fence. The wound wouldn’t heal.

That injury sent Mark to University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute. There, he discussed other symptoms with Teresa Carman, MD, medical director of the Center for Wound Care.

“I once had been walking miles every day,” he said. “At that time, I couldn’t walk a few hundred feet without wheezing and getting lightheaded. I couldn’t do other things to take care of myself and my house like mowing my small yard.”

Dr. Carman referred Mark to vascular specialist Karem Harth, MD, who directs the Center for Comprehensive Venous Care at UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute.

“Right away I liked her,” Mark said. “She’s a people person and she talked with me. She started formulating a plan and ordered tests.”

Dr. Harth discovered Mark was suffering complications from the IVC filter that was placed 12 years earlier and never removed.

An IVC filter is a small metal device placed in the inferior vena cava (IVC), the main vein in the abdominal cavity leading to the heart. The main purpose of an IVC filter is to prevent dislodged blood clots from the legs from traveling to the lungs in patients who are not able to take blood thinners.

“IVC filters are lifesaving, but sometimes can cause complications when not removed in appropriate settings,” said Dr. Harth. “In Mark’s case, despite being on blood thinners, his IVC filter was never removed and ultimately it became blocked. This affected both his legs and the ability to efficiently return blood back to the heart.”

Dr. Harth performed a surgery to remove the IVC filter and open Mark’s pelvic veins.

“It was literally like a miracle,” said Mark. “I had the surgery on a Monday and that Thursday I mowed the lawn without a break. Then, that same day I walked longer than I had in years with no shortness of breath. The results were nearly immediate.”

The year prior, Mark didn’t have enough energy to put up any Christmas decorations or even a tree. This year, he’s planning on doing it all and is even making plans for the future.

“My life has dramatically changed,” Mark said. “I feel good and energetic which is something I haven’t been able to say for a long time.”

Dr. Harth was pleased to improve Mark’s ability to walk and his quality of life. In the future, he’ll need more surgeries due to another issue – recurrent venous ulceration.

Mark no longer suffers from shortness of breath and now walks long distances with ease. He has four grandchildren and feels good enough to travel out of state to attend their sports tournaments.

“That just wouldn’t have been possible without Dr. Harth,” he said. “I’m incredibly grateful.”