For a long time, the development of venous medicine seemed to follow a relatively clear pattern.
Europe gave birth to many foundational concepts and innovative ideas. The United States built powerful ecosystems around technology, industry, and healthcare infrastructure. Asia, in many ways, was often viewed as a place where knowledge was adopted, practiced, and applied.
Different regions contributed in different ways. But recently, I have begun to feel that these boundaries are becoming less defined.
Across different parts of Asia, I am seeing a change in the questions physicians are asking. The discussion is no longer only about how to perform a procedure. Increasingly, it is becoming:
Why does a specific reflux pattern develop? Why can similar anatomy lead to different clinical outcomes? Why does recurrence remain a challenge despite continuous advances in treatment technology?
These are no longer simply technical questions. They are hemodynamic questions.
Asia itself is an incredibly diverse region.
Different countries and healthcare systems have developed through different paths. Some regions possess mature research infrastructures and long-term follow-up experience. Others provide enormous clinical volumes, rapidly evolving digital environments, engineering strengths, and manufacturing capabilities.
The opportunity may not be in creating a single “Asian model.”
The opportunity may be in connecting these different strengths.
Artificial intelligence could make that connection even more meaningful.
In venous disease, AI may eventually help us identify relationships and patterns that are difficult for human experience alone to consistently recognize. The next major advance in venous medicine may not come solely from a new device or another procedural innovation. It may come from a deeper understanding of the system itself.
Over the past decade at Dr. Smile Medical Group, I have had the opportunity to observe these changes closely.
Initially, much of our work focused on introducing and applying hemodynamic concepts. Over time, with growing clinical experience and long-term follow-up, the discussion gradually moved beyond technique itself. It expanded into questions about recurrence mechanisms, preservation strategies, patient experience, and long-term outcomes.
More recently, another question has emerged: Can artificial intelligence help us understand hemodynamics better?
This is one of the reasons why the Asian Venous Academy (AVA), as well as the upcoming Asian Venous Summit 2026, will place special attention on two fields that appear to be gradually converging: Hemodynamics and Artificial Intelligence.
