West Florida Hospital Offers Treatment for Peripheral Arterial Disease

New Technology Removes Plaque from Blocked Arteries  

West Florida Hospital offers a new device to treat peripheral arterial disease, providing relief for patients who suffer from leg pain and poor circulation in the lower legs and feet.  Developed by FoxHollow Technologies, the SilverHawk™ Plaque Excision System is a device used to remove plaque that blocks arteries and interrupts blood flow, even in tiny arteries that before were untreatable.

The specially designed SilverHawk is a small catheter that can be advanced further down the leg and into the foot than previously was possible.  The device can then be used to scrape plaque that is clogging small arteries.  With this new technology, hundreds of milligrams of plaque can be removed from arteries, thereby restoring critical blood flow.   

The SilverHawk System is capable of removing significant amounts of plaque without overstretching the artery, a condition known as barotrauma.  By removing plaque, the SilverHawk creates a large channel for adequate blood flow without stretching the vessel wall.

Cardiovascular surgeons at West Florida Hospital use this technology to treat lower leg pain and improve blood flow to the legs and feet.  This improved circulation means that patients experience increased mobility and wounds heal more quickly.  In some cases, the procedure can also prevent amputation of the toe, foot and leg by restoring blood flow necessary to keep tissues alive.  The procedure is also used to successfully treat patients with diabetes who suffer from poor circulation in the feet.  Not only does it help in the healing process, but it can also help avoid more invasive procedures later on.

Stephen C. Myers, M.D., a cardiovascular surgeon at West Florida Hospital, has had extensive training in the use of the SilverHawk technology.

“This device is innovative because it allows the surgeon to work with vessels that before were too small to treat,” said Dr. Myers.  “Angioplasty can tear the vessel and stenting can also cause trauma.  The SilverHawk doesn’t dilate the vessel, so a stent can be put in later on, if needed.”

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) is a condition that affects approximately 12 million people in the United States.  The disease results from the accumulation of plaque in arteries, most commonly occurring in the pelvis and legs.  PAD occurs when plaque buildup causes a narrowing of the artery, constricting normal blood flow to the body’s tissue and organs.  If left untreated, PAD increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, amputation and even death.

If left untreated, PAD can progress to critical limb ischemia (CLI), which occurs when there is not enough oxygenated blood being delivered to the leg to keep the tissue alive.  An estimated 750,000 people in the United States suffer from CLI, which occurs when symptoms of PAD—including pain, non-healing wounds, tissue loss or gangrene—become more severe.  When CLI develops, it can lead to constant pain and amputation of toes, feet and/or part of the leg.