Treatment approved for clogged arteries

Hartford, Conn. (WTNH) - A treatment for people with clogged arteries in their lower limbs has been federally approved.

Minimally or less invasive procedures are becoming the treatment of choice for patients who are ideal candidates. Now there is a new option for patients with clogged arteries in their lower limbs.

"Essentially it is the hardening of the arteries that develop in various locations," said Dr. Mohiuddin Cheema of the Connecticut Surgical Group. "But in this situation, mostly in the lower legs, calf, thigh area."

Cheema says a less invasive procedure, a catheter equipped with a cutting tip, that is designed to shave off the dangerous plaque that blocks the normal flow of blood. "The blades at the very top portion of the device spin at a very high speed and as it spins, it shaves off the plaque which gets continuously suctioned out of the artery and is removed," explained Cheema.

Not all PAD patients can undergo this method. "Patients who have more extensive or multi-focal disease in various portions of the limb of the arteries are probably better off with a surgical bypass," explained Cheema.

If left untreated, PAD could lead to losing a limb. Symptoms include: cramps and pain in the legs and thighs. PAD patients are also at a higher risk for stroke and heart attack.