Featured Member of the Month (Jul. 2023) - Robert Worthington-Kirsch

Robert L. Worthington-Kirsch, MD, FSIR, FCIRSE, FAVLS, RVT, RPVI, RPhS grew up in Boston, MA. After graduating from Boston Latin School, he attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating with bachelor’s degrees in Molecular Biology and Comparative Western Religion and a Minor in Ancient and Medieval European History. He then attended University of Massachusetts Medical School, graduating in 1986.

Dr. Kirsch relocated to the Philadelphia, PA area for his Residency in Diagnostic Radiology. After completing his Residency he practiced at several community hospitals in Philadelphia and environs, with ever-increasing emphasis on Interventional Radiology. He has practiced only IR since 2002.

Dr. Kirsch started treating Superficial Venous Insufficiency in 1999, and has been active in research and teaching on endovenous therapies for SVI since that time. He has published numerous scientific papers and has been invited to speak on many occasions in both the USA and Europe.

Dr. Kirsch moved to office-based practice in 2010. He joined Vein Clinics of America in January of 2012. He spent 10 years in practice with VCA and serving as VCA’s National Director of Research. Dr. Kirsch relocated to the greater Tampa area in February of 2022 to join United Vein and Vascular Centers. He now spends 4 days a week focused on SVI of the lower extremities, and one day a week focused on Women’s IR – primarily uterine embolotherapy for fibroid disease and management of pelvic vein disease.

Dr. Kirsch is a Fellow of the Society of Interventional Radiology, the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology Society of Europe, and of the American Vein & Lymphatic Society. In addition to Chairing the Program Committee for the 2021 AVLS Congress, he is on the Board of the Foundation for Venous & Lymphatic Disease.

Dr. Worthington-Kirsch and his wife live in Tarpon Springs, FL. They have 5 children and 4 grand-daughters. Outside of his medical practice Dr Worthington-Kirsch serves as Mohel to his congregation and is an avid fly-fisherman. If you can’t find him, look on the nearest stream, pond, or flat.

How and why did you start practicing in the field of vein/lymphatic care?

I sort of backed into vein disease. I started performing Uterine Fibroid Embolization in 1994, and that was a huge part of my practice and research interests. At the 1998 SIR meeting I was sitting with Bob White (Professor Emeritus in Radiology at Yale) listening to Mike Dake give a lecture on the minimally invasive treatments for varicose vein disease that were 'almost ready for prime time.' Bob pointed out that this was largely the same patient population that I was already treating for fibroid disease. So, I started to learn about venous insufficiency in much greater detail than I ever had before. In addition to my own reading, I received valuable help from Robert Weiss, Rob Min, and Lowell Kabnick. When the first RF ablation device was cleared by the FDA on a Monday (April 1999) I ordered my unit before noon and treated my first patient 2 days later. Since then, management of vein disease has been an increasing part of my practice and was my entire practice for the 10 years I was with VCA. It now accounts for 80-90% of my practice.

How long have you been a member of the AVLS and why did you decide to join?

I joined the AVLS when it was the ACP - probably in 2000 - the year the Annual Congress was in Palm Springs, CA. I was very impressed by the range of practice backgrounds and experience the members brought to the table; and I wanted to be involved in the society that was most concentrated on vein disease.

In what ways has the AVLS helped you as a vein/lymphatic care provider?

I have been inspired to broaden my interests in vein disease beyond the lower extremities, and beyond veins into management of lymphatic disease - which I do in cooperation with my UVVC partners at our Wound Center.

Any advice for your peers new to the field?

Always look to see if there is data supporting what people say is the 'right' way to manage disease, and if the data is enough to support the dogma.

What resources does the AVLS provide that would benefit them?

Meetings, publications, on-line materials. Most valuable is the chance to discuss the disease process and cases with other VLM specialists. The new changes to our online community forums are a great resource for peer-to-peer discussion in nearly real time. The mentorship program also gives me and others who have been doing this for a long time a chance to give back to the society by helping the next generation of providers."

When you are not at work, how do you spend your time?

My wife and I are very active in our congregation. Thursdays have been 'date night' for over 30 years. In my 'abundant' spare time I am usually reading, tying flies, or fishing. Since moving to Florida are working on spending more time boating.