Peripheral Vascular Disease

Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) refers to damage or dysfunction within the blood vessels in the feet, legs, lower abdomen, arms, neck or head. It is important to learn the facts about PVD. The more you understand, the more you will be able to help your physician make an early diagnosis and begin your treatment to reduce your risk of heart attach or stroke.

There are two types of peripheral blood vessels:

1. peripheral arteries, which carry oxygen-rich blood TO the extremities
2. peripheral veins, which carry oxygen-rich blood FROM the extremities toward the heart.

There are also two types of peripheral vascular diseases. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) that affects the arteries and peripheral venous disorders that affect the veins.

Who is at risk for PVD?

• People over the age of 50
• Smokers
• Diabetics
• People who are overweight
• People who do not exercise
• People with high blood pressure or high cholesterol
• People with a family history of heart or vascular disease

View our Peripheral Vascular Disease video.

Peripheral Arterial Disease

Peripheral arterial disease is a condition similar to coronary artery disease and carotid artery disease. In PAD, fatty deposits build up along artery walls and affect blood circulation, mainly in arteries leading to legs and feet. In its early stages, a common symptom is cramping or fatigue in the legs and buttocks during activity. People with PAD have a higher risk of death from stroke and heart attack due to the risk of blood clots.

Techniques used to diagnose PAD include circulation screenings, Doppler ultrasound, X-ray angiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The drugs used to treat PAD area called anti-thrombotics. They prevent blood from clotting. A type of angioplasty can also be used to widen narrowed peripheral arteries. A thin tube called a catheter with a deflated balloon on its tip is passed into the narrowed artery segment. Then the balloon is inflated to widen the narrowed segment. A stent- a wire mesh tube- can then be implanted in the narrowed artery with a catheter. There the stent expands and locks open the diseased artery.

Vascular Associates patients now have another alternative in the treatment of a painful condition known as peripheral vascular disease (PVD). The SilverHawk™ Plaque Excision System is a new FDA-cleared device for the safe removal of harmful plaque from blocked arteries in the legs.

This unique device uses a tiny rotating blade the size of a grain of rice to shave away large quantities of plaque from inside the artery. As it is excised, the plaque collects in the tip of the device and then is removed from the patient.

Before the arrival of plaque excision, treatments for PVD included angioplasty, stenting and open bypass surgery, an invasive procedure, which requires creating a large incision and involves a hospital stay. Both angioplasty and stenting clear a channel in the artery for blood flow by pushing plaque up against the artery walls. However, patients often return within six months to have the procedure repeated because plaque has crept back into the artery and blocked it again.

The SilverHawk device cleans out the artery by removing the plaque altogether. Like angioplasty, plaque excision is a minimally invasive procedure performed through a tiny puncture site.

PAD Symptoms:

• Leg or hip pain during walking
• The pain stops when you rest
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs
• Burning or aching pain in feet or toes when resting
• Sore on leg or foot that won’t heal
• Cold legs or feet
• Color change in skin of legs or feet
• Loss of hair on legs

Peripheral Venous Disorders

Peripheral Venous Disorders refer to defects or damage in the peripheral veins, which carry oxygen-poor blood away from the extremities. Peripheral venous disorders include thrombophlebitis, a condition where a blood clot has formed in a vein often resulting in the vein’s inflammation, and varicose veins, abnormally wide veins that appear to be swollen, blue or often contorted.

In general, treatment for chronic peripheral venous disorders involves exercising the affected area, for example, the legs, and elevating and bandaging the area as much as possible. Often, patients with acute venous disorders will also need to take anticoagulants (medication that decreases the ability of the blood to clot). Other medications and surgeries are also available if necessary.

Symptoms of a Peripheral Venous Disorder:

• Mild inflammation
• Fever
• Swelling, redness, tenderness to touch, especially in the calf or thigh
• Warmth in the affected area
• Pain and discomfort when the area is raised upward

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For More Information:

Stroke Health Center from WebMD
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National Stroke Association
PAD Coalition

Check out the following articles from vascularweb.org:

Peripheral Arterial Disease and Claudication