More than eight million Americans over the age of 40 have peripheral artery disease (PAD), a condition that gets progressively worse and can put you at risk of serious complications. At NJ Heart & Vascular Care in Princeton and Hamilton, New Jersey, Kintur Sanghvi, MD, FACC, FSCAI, is a leader in the field of peripheral artery disease intervention. Dr. Sanghvi offers comprehensive diagnostic testing and minimally invasive interventional treatments that eliminate the blockage and restore normal blood flow. If you develop leg pain, the most common symptom of PAD, don’t wait to call the office or schedule an appointment online.
The peripheral arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to all areas of your body except your brain and heart. You can develop PAD in any of these arteries, but it typically occurs in the legs.
PAD is caused by cholesterol and other fats that build up in the artery wall. This condition, called atherosclerosis, is a progressive disease.
Without treatment, the plaque keeps enlarging and hardening, which narrows the artery and blocks blood flow.
Peripheral artery disease seldom causes symptoms until it reaches an advanced stage. Then you may experience:
Untreated PAD can lead to a serious complication called critical limb ischemia. Critical limb ischemia develops when blood flow is nearly cut off.
Without enough blood, the tissues in your lower leg, ankle, or foot begin to die. At this stage, you need immediate treatment to prevent amputation.
Dr. Sanghvi has years of experience diagnosing and treating PAD. He’s proficient in treating critical limb ischemia and performing limb salvage procedures.
He also performs minimally invasive techniques to remove plaque and restore normal circulation. Techniques include:
These procedures are all performed using a catheter threaded into the artery, but they use different techniques:
During an angioplasty, Dr. Sanghvi inflates a balloon that pushes the plaque against the artery wall. A drug-eluting balloon releases medication that helps prevent future blockages.
When the plaque is too hard for a balloon, Dr. Sanghvi performs an atherectomy. He may use a laser that vaporizes the blockage, or he may do a CSI® peripheral orbital atherectomy using a tool that rotates to shave away the plaque.
Whether you get an angioplasty or an atherectomy, Dr. Sanghvi may also implant a stent. A stent is a wire mesh tube that stays in the artery to keep it open.
Dr. Sanghvi pioneered a patient-friendly technique called the pedal approach. With the pedal approach, he inserts the catheter through an artery in your foot rather than introducing the catheter through your groin.
The pedal technique is more comfortable for patients, shortens the time needed to clear the plaque, and allows you to move around shortly after the procedure.
At the first sign of leg pain or other symptoms, don’t wait to get exceptional care at NJ Heart & Vascular Care. Call or schedule an appointment online today.