Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
What is it?
Peripheral artery disease is a common condition in which the arteries are narrowed due to the build up of plaque, this reduces blood flow to the legs.
The main symptom associated with PAD is claudication. Claudication symptoms include muscle pain or cramping in the legs that start during exercise and resolves when at rest.
The pain occurs because the leg muscle is not receiving a sufficient amount of oxygen. PAD can increase your risk of developing a non-healing ulcer on your leg.
Diagnosis and Treatment
How is PAD Diagnosed?
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Physical examination
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Ankle-brachiel Index
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Vascular Ultrasound
Advanced PAD causes severe pain and limits mobility, further endovascular
treatment may be required: Angioplasty, Stents or Peripheral artery bypass
surgery.
Angioplasty
Angioplasty treats atherosclerosis.
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Atherosclerosis is a collection of plaque that is found in arteries.
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The angioplasty will create more space inside the artery by inserting a tiny balloon into the artery.
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This will force plaque against the artery wall- allowing blood to flow through the artery.
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Stents may be required to keep the artery open.
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A stent is a tiny tube that keeps the artery open to allow blood to go through better - this will prevent the artery from getting too narrow again.
Peripheral Artery Bypass Surgery
Peripheral artery bypass surgery is a surgical procedure used to restore blood flow to the lower extremities when arteries in the legs become narrowed or blocked due to peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries, restricting blood flow to the legs and feet, leading to symptoms such as pain, cramping, and weakness.
During peripheral artery bypass surgery, the surgeon creates a detour, or bypass, around the blocked or narrowed section of the artery to restore proper blood flow to the affected area. This is typically done using a graft, which may be a vein harvested from another part of the patient's body, such as the leg or arm, or a synthetic material.
The surgery involves the following:
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Preparation: The patient is prepared for surgery, which includes administering anesthesia to ensure they are comfortable and pain-free during the procedure.
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Incision: The surgeon makes an incision in the leg or groin area to access the diseased artery.
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Harvesting the Graft: If a vein graft is being used, the surgeon may harvest a suitable vein from another part of the patient's body, such as the saphenous vein in the leg. Alternatively, a synthetic graft made of materials like Dacron or PTFE may be used.
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Bypass: The surgeon creates a bypass around the blocked or narrowed section of the artery by attaching one end of the graft above the blockage and the other end below it, effectively rerouting blood flow to bypass the obstruction.
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Closure: Once the bypass is in place and blood flow has been restored, the incision is closed with sutures or staples, and a dressing is applied to the wound.