The Heart Hospital of Austin just became the first hospital in the world to use a new technique, approved by the FDA in August 2008, to successfully treat a patient with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Called Stereotaxis RF Power Assert Magnetic Guidewire, the technique employs the use of magnets for better control and improved accuracy in removing plaques from clogged vessels, in this case the patient had a 100% blockage in the main artery of one of his legs. Once the blockage is reached, the tip of the guidewire can burn a small passage through the blockage, allowing physicians to then use existing techniques to open up the blockage further. Peripheral artery disease affects 12 million Americans, and if left untreated, it can cause ulcerations and gangrene that significantly increase the risk of losing a limb.
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Tags: artery, blocked, gangrene, heart hospital of austin, magnetic, pad, peripheral artery disease, pvd, texas
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
January 9th, 2009 at 6:38 am
is this available in new york or new jersey
January 9th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Is this available in New York State?
January 10th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Trying to get info on least invasive by pass surgery. I have 3 blockages and they were unable to use stents. Is there other options?
January 11th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
I, also, have an artery that wil be totally blocked soon, I think. My doctor has me in a surgical stocking (for about the last four years now) and I also have had foot surgery. I can’t walk far, due to the foot surgery, which was botched. Stocking on left leg;
foot surgery was right foot. He told me to walk, but knows now that I can’t do that due to pain in foot. Is this new treatment
for blockage available in the St. Louis Area? (Washington University, St. Louis University? or the other area hospitals?)) Thanks for your time and information. (The doctor who did the
botched foot surgery is NOT the doctor who did my carotid artery
surgery and is truly a DOCTOR worthy of the name.) Thanks again.)
January 11th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Is this new PAD surgery available in Las Vegas, NV.
January 11th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Hi all – I am unable to find out where the second clinical center that is testing out this new device. All the press releases have been saying Austin Heart Center is the first of two. I will try to find out what the second one is.
January 11th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Gelenda and Mary Ann – I would urge you to find a doctor you trust. It’s fine to seek a second, or sometimes even a third opinion!
January 15th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Nice comments and good post.
March 25th, 2009 at 11:07 am
I wouldn’t trust any doctor not knowing if the instruments have been autoclaved or disinfected. If colon diseases are at risk for HIV/HCV then we can’t trust any hospital, VA or not! Don’t believe everything you read about. I just read in a letter that my son wrote 4 weeks ago, that was just delivered that him saying “I going to kill himself.” The marines didn’t even think to notify me of his death by his own hands. I just got an informal call yesterday that he was dead. I told them that I already knew…thank you for nothing…and get my boy back here in two days. I am going to have him shown just to show the people what is happening to our boys in a foreign country where they are sitting ducks in a gallery!