Peripheral Angioplasty Specialist

What is peripheral angioplasty?

Peripheral angioplasty is a minimally invasive method of treating peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD is a common condition that results in limited blood flow to parts of your body other than your heart, typically your legs or arms.

The most likely reason for this narrowing of the arteries is atherosclerosis — a buildup of a fatty waste product called plaque. If your arteries are too narrow, blood can't reach your tissues in large enough quantities, which starves the affected area of oxygen, nutrients, and healing cells.

If PAD becomes severe, it could lead to the formation of arterial ulcers, gangrene (tissue death), and critical limb ischemia that may result in amputation of the limb. Dr. Muttiana performs peripheral angioplasty to widen narrowed arteries and open up blockages.

When might I need to undergo peripheral angioplasty?

You might need to undergo peripheral angioplasty if Dr. Muttiana diagnoses PAD and finds you have severe narrowing of your peripheral arteries.

PAD doesn't always cause symptoms, especially in the early stages, but one that’s typical of this condition is claudication. If you have claudication, it means that when you're walking, your legs start to ache but they improve when you rest.

As PAD worsens, you might begin to experience claudication all the time.

What does peripheral angioplasty involve?

Dr. Muttiana performs peripheral angioplasty at the hospital while you're under sedation. After injecting a local anesthetic at the incision site (most likely your groin area), Dr. Muttiana inserts a slender, flexible tube (catheter).

He might also inject a dye to locate the narrowed part of the artery more easily. When the catheter is at the treatment site, Dr. Muttiana inflates a small medical balloon that squashes plaque against the artery walls.

He may insert a special section of tube called a stent that supports the artery walls and helps to stop the treated artery from collapsing. The stent also prevents pieces of plaque from breaking off and traveling along your arteries where they could cause blood clots to form.

What results can I expect from peripheral angioplasty?

You should find that symptoms of PAD, such as claudication, improve considerably following peripheral angioplasty. However, it's important to bear in mind what caused your PAD in the first place, as other arteries could develop problems in the future.

Maintaining a healthy weight, keeping away from high-cholesterol foods, increasing the amount you exercise, and quitting smoking can all preserve the health of your arteries. 

Sometimes Dr. Muttiana prescribes medication to treat problems like hypertension (high blood pressure) and high cholesterol.

If you're at risk of developing PAD or already have symptoms, contact Cardiovascular Institute, P.A., and find out about effective solutions like peripheral angioplasty. Call the office or book an appointment online today.