New procedure at Jackson Hospital could help patients avoid amputation
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WAKA Action 8 News) – For patients with advanced Peripheral Arterial Disease, sometimes leaving amputation as the only solution. The disease is the result of blocked arteries and can cut off blood flow to the legs and feet.
Now, a groundbreaking procedure at Jackson Hospital is help patients avoid losing a leg or foot.
“Just because someone tells you that you need an amputation does not necessarily mean that that’s always going to be the case,” says Dr. Richard Tan. “There are options out there and we’re continuously trying to expand those options.”
Dr. Tan is the first vascular surgeon in Montgomery to use the LimFlow system. The minimally invasive procedure is designed for patients who’ve run out of traditional treatment options. Using just two small needle punctures, doctors redirect blood through a patient’s vein, delivering oxygen and nutrients to areas that have been starved of circulation.
“You may have heard of family members who have blockages or friends who have blockages in their arteries and this is what this device treats,” says Doctor Tan. “So for patients who have blockages who otherwise don’t have any other options to restore their blood flow, this device utilizes your vein and turns it into an artery in a way and brings in oxygenated blood and nutrients to the limb that’s affected that’s otherwise not getting any blood flow.”
The procedure takes about two-and-a-half hours and requires no large surgical incision—offering a less invasive option for patients who once had few choices.
“In Montgomery and Alabama, any advancement we can get in the treatment of peripheral arterial disease—we have some of the highest amputation rates in the country and the world—and this technology is sorely needed,” says Doctor Tan. “I think that bringing it here first and foremost will really benefit the community.”
Avoiding an amputation also reduces the amount of time a patient will need to stay in the hospital.
