| Cutting Edge Technology Relieves Leg Pain | ||
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Most Americans are familiar with clogged arteries in the heart, caused by the fatty build-up of plaque that hampers the blood flow there, increasing risk of stroke or heart attack. The body’s delicate circulation system, however, can also get clogged, with arteries throughout the body building up plaque too. This type of clogging, called Peripheral Artery Disease, or PAD, is often signaled by pain in the legs with walking, relieved with rest. Other symptoms include numbness or tingling, cold extremities caused by poor circulation, wounds that don’t heal, and weakness in the legs and arms. If left untreated it can increase the risk of serious heart problems, as well as leading to amputation or death. Last year alone, over 150,000 amputations were performed in the U.S. for patients with critical PAD. |
At Deborah Heart and Lung Center, the endovascular team is on the cutting edge of technology to treat blockages in these peripheral arteries. The newest technique is a device called the Silverhawk Excision System, manufactured by California-based Foxhollow Technologies. It is a device which is inserted into a clogged peripheral artery through a catheter (thin tubing) inserted into the groin. Once in place the Silverhawk uses a rotating blade to shave away the plaque. The plaque is stored in a nosecone, and when full, the nosecone is pulled out and emptied, and then reinserted to scrape more plaque. The device has been in use for more than a year at the Center, and has had a stellar success rate, offering a minimally invasive procedure with immediate and long-term benefits. Dr. Manu Rajachandran, Chairman of the Department of Endovascular Medicine at Deborah, said the Silverhawk system offers an excellent alternative for PAD sufferers, with disease that would be difficult to treat with more conventional devices. “For many Americans suffering with PAD,” he said “those handicapped by the pain of walking or facing limb amputation, the Silverhawk system can provide a new outlook on life.” |
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