Peripheral Arterial Disease Surgery in Boulder, CO

One common illness of the artery that is often misdiagnosed and untreated is the peripheral arterial disease. It is not a deadly disease, but a severe case can lead to the removal of your leg or foot (amputation). To help you avoid such undesirable conditions, Alpine Surgical offers peripheral arterial disease surgery in Boulder, CO.

What Is Peripheral Arterial Disease?

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), also called peripheral vascular disease, is the accumulation of plaque in your leg arteries. Your leg arteries transport oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood from your heart to your arms and legs.

Arteries are hollow tubes with a smooth lining that avoids blood clotting and facilitates consistent blood flow. When you develop peripheral artery disease, plaque (composed of fat, cholesterol, and other chemicals) progressively accumulates inside your arterial walls. Slowly, this narrows your arteries. This is also referred to as atherosclerosis.

Plaque also causes blood clots that can narrow the arteries even further. Blood cannot flow through arteries to support organs and other tissues if plaque or a blood clot narrows or stops them. This damages the tissues beneath the blockage and ultimately results in death (gangrene). Your toes and feet are where this occurs most frequently.

PAD affects 8-12 million people in the United States, but the number can be much higher due to a number of undiagnosed cases.

Treating Poor Circulation and Arterial Blockages

According to some research, exercising and controlling cholesterol and blood pressure can help reverse peripheral vascular disease symptoms. You can prevent PAD from worsening by getting an early diagnosis, making lifestyle adjustments, and seeking treatment.

Some of the lifestyle changes you can do include quitting smoking, adapting a low-cholesterol low-fat and low-sodium diet, and lowering your stress levels. You can also get prescriptions for high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

When none of these treatments work and your PAD worsens, the next effective treatment is PAD surgery. Also called atherectomy, it is a minimally invasive surgery for removing plaque accumulation from arteries, particularly those restricted by atherosclerosis, a condition in which fatty deposits accumulate in the arterial walls. It promotes healthy blood flow and can reduce symptoms of peripheral artery disease.

The surgery involves inserting a thin and flexible catheter into the blocked artery through a small incision. The catheter has a blade or laser that can break down and remove the plaque buildup. This procedure typically takes around two hours.

Peripheral Arterial Disease Surgery at Alpine Surgical

Though not fatal, PAD can cause serious discomfort when walking, and severe cases may lead to a heart attack and limb amputation. Alpine Surgical can help you avoid these situations with peripheral arterial disease surgery in Boulder, CO.