Don’t let your legs give up
Get Back on Your Feet by Treating Peripheral Arterial Disease at Right Time
Peripheral arterial disease is a condition that affects the efficiency of blood flow in the arteries mostly in the lower limbs. Fatty plaques and scar tissue are built up which clog the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the legs. The main cause of this narrowing of arteries is atherosclerosis, also called hardening of the arteries. It is estimated that about 50 % of the population above 60 years of age suffers from PAD. Patients with peripheral arterial disease are at high risk of amputation (loss of the affected part of leg), heart attack, paralysis and death. Early treatment of PAD is the best way to avoid these complications.
Symptoms of Peripheral Arterial Disease
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Cramping in thigh, hip or calf after activities like walking or climbing stairs – ‘intermittent claudication’.
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Pain in the leg at rest
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Numb and weak leg.
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Cold foot or lower leg.
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Painful Ulcers in the leg
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Blackening / gangrene
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Sometimes it may happen that no symptoms persist in the patient.
Stand up to PAD- Treat by Advanced Nonsurgical Methods
If you have been diagnosed with PAD, you may have been told surgical methods are the only treatments available. Expert –IR clinic specializes in treating PAD using nonsurgical minimally invasive treatment methods.
Balloon Angioplasty and stenting
The procedure is carried out by the interventional radiologist with the help of a catheter with a balloon on the tip. The balloon catheter is inserted through a pinhole and navigated into the blocked or narrowed artery under imaging guidance. The balloon is inflated near the blockage to push the plaque to widen the artery and restore the blood flow. Generally when the balloon angioplasty alone doesn’t work satisfactorily, a stent is placed at the site of blockage. Stent is a hollow tube made up of mesh of metallic wires which keeps the artery open and allows unhindered blood flow.
Atherectomy
Atherectomy is a minimally invasive technique for removing atherosclerosis from blood vessels within the body. Unlike angioplasty and stents, which push plaque into the vessel wall, atherectomy catheter cuts plaque from the wall of the artery and the debris are collected in a chamber. Various atherectomy devices are available and a particular device is chosen bases on the nature of the plaque, vessel being treated and operator preference. This procedure may be used alone or in combination with balloon angioplasty to facilitate the placement of stents.
Acute limb Ischemia / Leg Attack
We all are familiar with the terminologies like heart attack and brain attack and need for emergency treatment of these conditions. A similar emergency situation can arise in the leg where arteries supplying the leg get blocked suddenly and cause coldness, severe pain, inability to move and numbness in the leg. If not treated on emergency basis, leg may end up in gangrene and need to be sacrificed surgically (that is amputation). It is important to identify such symptoms and visit a specialist vascular doctor for consultation. If patient comes at right time to the hospital, a vascular interventional radiologist can treat this condition by procedures such as mechanical thrombectomy (the clots in the arteries are removed through a small catheter) or intravascular thrombolysis (the clots are dissolved using clot bursting medications injected into the blocked artery through a specialized catheter). These treatments are done through a tiny pinhole, Timely treatment can save the leg and the life of a patient.
Advantages of Interventional Radiology Treatments
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Minimally Invasive Procedure
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No Downtime
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High Success rate
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Less Intra and Post Procedure Pain
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No scars / stitches
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No blood loss during procedure
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No Major Anaesthesia
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Best option even for Elderly/High risk Patients
Comparison Of Treatment Options for Peripheral Arterial Disease
Comparing Factors
Surgery
Angioplasty or Stenting
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Frequently Asked Questions
Most frequent questions and answers
Answer:
- Age more than 50 years
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Overweight
- Sedentary lifestyle
Answer:
- Regular exercise.
- Controlled blood pressure.
- Quit tobacco or smoking.
- Intake of healthy food.
Answer: If not treated in time it may cause a leg ulcer, loss of activity and functioning of the affected leg and finally amputation of the leg. It is found that only 50% of people who have undergone amputation survive beyond 5 years.
Answer: Intake of a heart-healthy diet is the key to preventing peripheral arterial disease. Reduced intake of simple sugar, fats, and trans-fats will certainly help in reducing the chances of getting arteries blocked.
