Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlker Kiriş
Cardiovascular Surgery
Arterial Occlusion Surgery
Arterial occlusion or peripheral artery disease occurs over time due to the fat accumulation, cholesterol residues, and calcification in the leg arteries. The artery loses its flexibility, and as the degree of stenosis progresses, it becomes harder to reach oxygen-rich clean blood to the tissues supplied by the vessel.
Although there are no symptoms initially, symptoms begin to show in the legs and feet as the process continues. Pain in the calf area caused by walking and effort forces the patient to stop. Walking distance decreases gradually. In the future, even while resting, pain, foot discoloration, cold and numbness, and recent wound opening can be observed.
Arterial Occlusion Surgeries in Izmir, Turkey
If the stenosis that develops over time in the leg arteries is severe or if an entire occlusion occurs, it is no longer possible to remove the blockage by changing the lifestyle or taking medication. In this case, interventional treatments for the artery are planned. Today, intravenous (endovascular) balloon expansion and stenting methods are more prominent in interventional medical treatments for leg artery occlusion.
Besides, if severe stenosis or occlusion has affected a very long arterial part or if there is excessive calcification in the artery in the relevant area, a surgical operation is required in these patients. Also, surgeries, that is, open surgery, may be necessary for the patient group with the failed balloon or stent treatments.
Types of Artery Occlusion Surgery
Surgical options in leg artery occlusions mostly consist of the leg bypass operations and removing the plaques leading to occlusion (endarterectomy). In the bypass process, the occluded artery is not removed or changed, but it is conducted only to carry blood beyond the occlusion. For this purpose, one end of an artificial vein or the patient's vein is stitched in front of the occlusion in the occluded artery and the other end following the occlusion. Thus, oxygen-rich clean blood, which was previously incapable of not passing through the occlusion, now reaches beyond the occlusion by passing through this sideline. In bypass surgeries, blood is most likely to be transferred from the abdominal or inguinal artery to the artery at the knee joint level. Endarterectomy procedure is the surgical removal of the plaques that cause occlusion in the artery with the bypass procedure in some cases.
Patients with leg artery occlusion may also have coronary and carotid artery stenosis and occlusion. Therefore, patients should have had the necessary evaluations in the preoperative period. A physician specialized in cardiology must carry out the carotid ultrasound examination and perform a cardiological assessment. These surgeries are performed with general anesthesia or anesthesia below the waist (spinal anesthesia). After the operation, the patient must stay in the hospital for two to three days. After the surgery, the patient must not smoke. Besides, the patient should regularly use the medications prescribed by the operating surgeon, especially anticoagulants. In the upcoming periods, the situation of the leg arteries and the vein used during bypass are regularly checked and assessed.
Arterial Occlusion Surgeries in Izmir, Turkey
To be successful in these surgeries, it is vital to evaluate the patient correctly before the surgery. A strategy about the surgery to be performed must be designated accurately, and detailed information should be given to the patient. The surgery should be performed meticulously and with the utmost attention to technical details. In this type of surgery, the doctor's experiences and a correct approach determine the results to a great extent. When the patient has the risk of losing his leg, the leg recovery might require below-knee bypass operations. As in other leg artery bypass surgeries, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlker Kiriş is very experienced. If you have been diagnosed with leg artery occlusion and open surgery was recommended because you are not suitable for intravascular balloon or stent treatments, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlker Kiriş can give you an idea.
