Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the legs or lower extremities is the narrowing or blockage of the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the legs. It is primarily caused by the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries.
Traditionally, if patients had large blockages in the femoral artery in their leg, surgeons may have to make a large incision (groin to knee) to bypass the blockage.
Now vascular surgeons at CAMC are using a newly approved percutaneous treatment that allows surgeons to use a stent or graft to detour around the blockage and restore blood flow. This requires only a small incision in the leg with surgeons inserting a stent through the blood vessels to bypass the blockage.
The DETOUR System is designed specifically for patients with severe PAD in the superficial femoral artery. These patients include those who have long obstructions, previously failed endovascular procedures and those who may not be good candidates for surgical bypass.
“I think it’s a pretty big step,” said Shadi Abu-Halimah, MD, Vascular Surgeon. “We are proud to bring this innovative technology to our community and look forward to giving patients another treatment option.”
This new, minimally invasive procedure reduces surgery time, shortens a patient’s hospital stay and shortens recovery time.
