Weekly Health Page Articles: Heart Institute

Opening New Doors to Treat Blocked Arteries

Traditionally, treatment for peripheral artery disease – blockages or aneurysms found in arteries outside of the heart –involved major surgery with large incisions and bypasses. That's not necessarily the case anymore.

"Advances in technology are now providing minimally invasive treatment techniques," says R. Brent New, MD, FACC, FACS, thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon on staff at Saint Francis Medical Center's Heart Institute. "Risk of infection and lung problems is much lower than traditional surgery, and results are excellent, as patients experience less pain and recover sooner."

Blockages in leg arteries are now opened using a small needle puncture and a specialized catheter that shaves and removes plaque from artery walls. Catheters are also used to insert balloons or stents to repair abdominal aneurysms or open blocked carotid arteries. And newer angioplasty balloons freeze surrounding tissue for a few seconds, a technique many believe may reduce the chance of repeated blockage.

From Weekly Health Page: Feb. 11, 2007