Treatment Options
PAD Treatment Options
In the past, treatment options for PAD have included exercise therapy and medication. Other options have included bypass surgery and minimally invasive procedures such as angioplasty, which clears a channel in the artery for blood flow by pushing plaque up against the artery walls with a balloon.Plaque Excision
Today, a minimally invasive procedure called plaque excision allows blockages to be removed altogether. The procedure is performed using the SilverHawk® Plaque Excision System, an FDA-cleared device that removes the blockage from leg arteries, restoring blood flow to the legs, feet and toes.
Plaque Excision Facts
- Cleans out blocked arteries to alleviate leg pain
- FDA-cleared for use in peripheral arteries
- Minimally invasive procedure
- Shorter recovery time, as compared to bypass surgery
- Covered by Medicare and private medical insurance
How it Works
1. The device, which is delivered through a catheter, is inserted into the patient’s groin through a small puncture site and is moved through the artery to the site of the blockage.2. A tiny rotating blade is activated and the physician advances the SilverHawk through the vessel, shaving plaque from the artery walls as it moves forward.
3. The plaque is collected in the tip of the catheter and then completely removed from the patient’s body.
