Published: Feb. 26, 2015
Sparrow is the only mid-Michigan health system offering a newly approved procedure using a balloon coated with a drug to open arteries.
Arteries in the arms and legs of Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) become blocked with plaque, or fatty deposits. This build-up restricts blood flow to limbs and causes severe leg pain and often serious complications including skin ulcers or gangrene and can lead to amputation.
Approved by the FDA in Fall 2014, the Lutonix DCB procedure is much like traditional angioplasty where a balloon is fed up the artery and inflated to open the blockage. However, in this case, the balloon is specially coated with the drug paclitaxel (previously used in chemotherapy) and when inflated it coats the walls of the artery with the drug. This new technique has been shown to slow or prevent the reoccurrence of plaque build-up after surgery.
Arteries treated with the Lutonix DCB procedure remain open significantly longer, helping Patients not only with the complications of PAD, but also to avoid the discomfort, inconvenience, and costs of repeated procedures due to the return of plaque build-up.
Physicians from the Sparrow Heart and Vascular Center (HAVC) and Sparrow Thoracic and Cardiovascular Institute gathered today in recognition of American Heart Month to discuss this new procedure as well as these advanced heart and vascular treatments available only at Sparrow for mid-Michigan Patients:
S-ICD
A new type of implantable defibrillator, this device can be placed just under the skin and doesn’t require leads – or wires – to be inserted directly into the heart.
The S-ICD (subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator) is uniquely suited to help young Patients with arrhythmias and those with limited vascular access or who are prone to cardiac infections where the use of a traditional device with leads placed into the heart is not possible.
TAVR
Sparrow is the only mid-Michigan hospital performing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), a minimally invasive procedure which uses a catheter to insert a replacement heart valve.
Approved by the FDA in late 2012, Sparrow has recently performed its 50th procedure, offering high-risk Patients who are unable to tolerate open heart surgery a second chance at life.
Recent studies have shown that Patients who undergo TAVR live on average two and a half years longer than those who do not, with high-quality, active lives.
The Sparrow Heart and Vascular Center and Sparrow TCI are delivering breakthrough technology and treatments for Patients throughout Michigan every day.
Choose Wisely. Choose Sparrow.