UAB St. Vincent’s Birmingham became the first hospital in the area where a team, led by Interventional cardiologist Christopher DeGroat, M.D., performed an innovative new treatment for patients with severely calcified peripheral artery disease (PAD).
The procedure uses new technology that is similar to what’s used to treat kidney stones but is designed for blood vessels in the legs. It uses gentle soundwaves to break up hardened plaque and calcium that block blood flow above and below the knee. The new soundwave technology is the first non-balloon-based platform of its kind and is designed to fracture problematic calcium and cross extremely narrowed vessels, where a catheter wire will cross but traditional devices might not. This breakthrough gives doctors a new way to treat advanced PAD, with the goal of making care safer and more effective for patients.
“It’s always exciting when we can bring the latest, evidence-based treatment to our patients to help improve their quality of life,” Dr. DeGroat said. “With this first-of-its-kind intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) technology, we will be able to better treat difficult-to-cross calcified blockages, reduce the need for amputations, and improve outcomes for patients living with PAD.”
PAD affects more than eight million people age 40 and older in the United States. The condition is characterized by the narrowing or blockage of blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the limbs, particularly the legs. It is caused by a buildup of plaque in the arteries, which over time can become calcium deposits and harden. The most advanced stage of PAD is known as chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), which affects nearly two million Americans and can lead to major amputations or death.
With advanced PAD, severely calcified arteries become difficult to open with traditional treatment tools. These tools include balloons – which are inflated to high pressure in an attempt to break through the calcium – and atherectomy, a procedure to drill through the calcium to open the artery.The procedure’s shockwaves create a spherical energy field beyond the tip of the catheter, delivering lithotripsy closer than balloon-based IVL platforms. This allows the artery to be safely expanded, and blood flow can be restored with less risk of complications.
To learn more about cardiology services at UAB St. Vincent’s, schedule an appointment with a cardiologist today.