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April 19, 2010 Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Advanced Treatment Option Available with High-Tech Diamondback 360° Procedure S. A. Helton St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Peripheral artery disease (PAD), sometimes referred to as peripheral vascular disease, affects between 8 and 12 percent of adults over age 50. It is a common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs. “PAD most commonly occurs in the legs and causes symptoms when they don’t receive enough blood flow to keep up with demand. The earliest symptoms include leg pain when walking,” comments Robert Lee, MD, of Port Huron Vascular Clinic, PC, a specialist in the treatment of PAD and other vascular diseases. “PAD in the legs is also likely to be a sign of widespread accumulation of fatty deposits (plaques) in the arteries elsewhere. This is also known as atherosclerosis. This condition may not be only reducing the blood flow to the legs, but to the patient’s heart and brain as well. Signs And Symptoms A High-Tech Diamondback Procedure Allows St. Joseph Mercy Patients Quicker and More Successful Recovery from Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)...Although there are a number of operations and procedures designed to treat PAD, St. Joseph Mercy now offers patients access to the most advanced and minimally invasive treatment option available. Although often there are no obvious signs of PAD, the following symptoms are sometimes related: • Painful cramping of the hip, thigh or calf muscle after walking or climbing stairs (intermittent claudication) • Leg numbness or weakness • Coldness in the lower leg or foot, especially when compared with the other leg • Sores on toes, feet or legs that won’t heal • A change in leg color • Hair loss of the leg or feet • Changes in toenails “As PAD progresses, limb pain may even occur when the patient is at rest or when lying down (ischemic rest pain),” continues Dr. Lee. “It may be intense enough to disrupt sleep.” Risk Factors There are a number of factors that increase the risk for PAD. These include: • Smoking • Diabetes - continued next page mymercy.us remarkable medicine. remarkable care. If you have questions about programs and services of St. Joseph Mercy Port Huron, please visit us online at: mymercy.us. To find a physician near you, call toll-free 1-888-MERCYME. Understanding Treatments for PAD - continued • Obesity (body mass index of over 30) • High blood pressure • High cholesterol • Increasing age, especially after reaching age 50 • A family history of PAD, heart disease or stroke • Excess levels of homocysteine, a protein component that helps build and maintain tissue • Excess levels of C-reactive protein, a general marker of inflammation. “People who smoke or have diabetes have the greatest risk of complications from PAD,” explains Dr. Lee, “such as tissue death (gangrene) in the leg due to reduced blood flow.” Like many sufferers of PAD, Pat Paterson, age 67, of Marysville, was diagnosed 15 to 20 years ago with type II diabetes. Pat first visited the Port Huron Vascular Clinic when she had an infection in her toe. “My right toe was so infected, it had to be removed,” explains Pat. “And, after the amputation didn’t heal properly, my doctors performed a dye test to identify the arteries that needed treatment.” Treatment Options Port Huron Vascular Clinic, PC, Board Certified Specialists Sadiq Hussain, MD, FACS “Although there are a number of medications available to treat the causes and some of the early symptoms of PAD, when the blockage is severe and the plaque becomes ‘calcified,’ limited options have been available to successfully treat the problem,” explains Sadiq Hussain, MD, a Port Huron Vascular Clinic, PC, surgeon and one of Pat’s specialists. “Patients at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital have been treated through procedures including: • Balloon Angioplasty: where a balloon is inserted directly in the artery and inflated to push the plaque against the arterial walls, causing the artery to open. • Stents: where a tiny metal cylinder is inserted and placed to hold the artery open after the angioplasty procedure. • Vascular Bypass Surgery: can be necessary if the blood flow through the limb is completely or almost completely blocked. “In vascular bypass surgery, a blood vessel from another part of the body or a tube made of synthetic materials is used to bypass blockage in the artery,” explains Dr. Hussain. “This allows blood flow around the blockage and into the lower limb. This is an invasive procedure; and like most major surgeries includes a long patient stay in the hospital, extended convalescence, and the potential for complications and infection.” High Tech treatment Robert Lee, MD, FACS “In 2007, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new minimally-invasive procedure for PAD patients who suffer from extensive blockage from calcified plaque,” continues Dr. Lee. “Utilizing a new device, call the Diamondback 360°, only available locally at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, we can now treat certain blockages with a minimally invasive technique. - continued next page Page 2 remarkable medicine. remarkable care. If you have questions about programs and services of St. Joseph Mercy Port Huron, please visit us online at: mymercy.us. To find a physician near you, call toll-free 1-888-MERCYME. Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Treatment Options - continued “In the hospital’s Cardiovascular Lab, the new device is used to debulk (or remove) the plaque in the arteries with a tool that revolves rapidly and strips or sands the plaque deposits down,” he explains. “In traditional procedures, the treatment was to push the plaque away with a balloon or bypass it completely, now we can simply remove it, opening the artery to allow for unrestrained blood flow.” “What’s more,” Dr. Hussain continues, “the device is so advanced that it breaks the plaque into such fine particles, smaller than red blood cells. These particles are swept through the artery and out of the body through the natural blood stream and body filters. Additionally, patients generally go home within 24 hours and only need to recover from a tiny puncture site where the catheter is inserted into the groin area. This greatly reduces our PAD patient recovery time, getting them back on their feet usually by the next morning.” The stripping or sanding ability of the Diamondback 360° device breaks the calcified plaque particles into waste smaller than the size of a red blood cell. The particles are then swept away through the blood stream, leaving a vein or artery relatively free for enhanced blood flow to the limbs. Due to her medical complications, Pat’s stay at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in November 2009 was a little longer after her successful procedure. “The procedure went very well and I knew it was successful because my foot and leg started getting warmer and its color was better,” she explains. During Pat’s procedure, Dr. Lee inserted a small tube in Pat’s groin and used the Diamondback tool on two leg arteries that were affected. “I was really impressed with the technology available,” comments Pat. “I know the alternative was extensive bypass surgery with a large incision and a long recovery. “I had no idea that there were such high-tech procedures available locally. It really is good news that St. Joseph Mercy and our community is keeping up with the latest advances in medical care.” PAD is a condition that requires screening and diagnosis through a primary care physician. So, speak to your doctor today for more information on the condition and a referral to a qualified vascular surgeon. For more information regarding the Diamondback procedures and other advanced procedures available at St. Joseph Mercy Port Huron, contact Port Huron Vascular Clinic, PC, at 810-985-1300, or visit St. Joseph Mercy online at mymercy.us. The information provided in Healthy Living is for educational purposes only. Speak with your doctor directly about any issues that effect your health. Editor: Stephanie Armstrong-Helton 810-984-1166 [email protected] mymercy.us St. Joseph Mercy Port Huron O 2601 Electric Avenue, Port Huron, MI 48060 O mymercy.us