Medical Services related to David M Williams MD

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT)

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia  (HHT) is a genetic disorder that affects about one in 5,000 people and commonly causes nosebleeds, with more frequent nosebleeds typically starting after about age 12.  Patients with HHT have a tendency to form blood vessels that are abnormal, fragile, and bleed more easily. Michigan Medicine has a multidisciplinary team of physicians to treat HHT, including specialists in otolaryngology (for nosebleeds), pulmonary diseases, interventional radiology, gastroenterology, neurosurgery, liver diseases, cardiology, heart failure, dermatology, radiation oncology, hematology-oncology and associated pediatric subspecialties.

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) Treatment

There are many different specialists who treat patients with HHT. Many patients will eventually see two or more types of specialists, especially later in adulthood. Specialists who treat HHT include otolaryngologists (ear, nose & throat doctors), interventional radiologists (to treat AVMs), hematologists (to help manage anemia), and more.

Pulmonary Embolism and CTEPH

Pulmonary emboli can present as acute PE or chronic PE. Acute PE is a new obstruction causing acute onset heart strain and often needs immediate treatment with clot busters and blood thinning medications. Chronic PE is a more insidious presentation that includes heart failure with gradual progressive symptoms and is caused by an older residual obstruction resulting from an undissolved clot in the pulmonary circulation left over from previous acute pulmonary emboli. In addition, in a small percentage of patients, chronic PE can lead to elevated blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries over time, developing into a rare type of pulmonary hypertension called chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).

Venous Ablation

Venous ablation is a minimally invasive treatment option that uses radiofrequency (RF) energy to treat patients suffering from varicose veins or chronic venous insufficiency. During the procedure, an ablation catheter is inserted into the diseased vein to provide heat that causes the collagen in the vein walls to shrink and seal closed. Blood then naturally re-routes to other healthy veins once the diseased vein is closed.

Venous Disease

Venous disease is the impairment of blood flowing to the heart and is a common condition affecting men and women of all ages and activity levels. While many cases of venous disease are genetic, they can also be caused by environmental risks, pregnancy and other factors. Venous disease can range from cosmetic concerns to life-threatening conditions, including spider veins, varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and swollen or painful legs due to chronic venous insufficiency.