TechUpdate

Treatment Option Highlighted on World Vascular Day

Significant breakthrough in treatment of Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) is possible with Frontrunner CTO catheter and Outback Re-Entry Catheter

Timely diagnosis and consequent treatment helped me get back on my feet, recounted veteran actor Shammi Kapoor, who was once diagnosed with vascular disease. He was speaking on August 6, which is commemorated as World Vascular Day. The meeting to create awareness of vascular disease in India and its treatment was organised by Vascular Society of India (VSI), which is also celebrating its second birth anniversary and Indian Society of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (ISVIR).

The occasion was graced by Dr Paresh Pai and Dr Pankaj Patel, both members of VSI and Dr Gireesh Warawdekar and Dr Rahul Sheth, both members of ISVIR. The vascular procedure which they had just performed was telecast on a screen to explain the nature of treatment.

Lower leg Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) is a common syndrome that affects a large proportion of adult population worldwide. Smokers, diabetics and even women on contraceptive pills are prone to this disease.

Symptoms of PVD in the lower limbs include burning pain, coldness, change in skin colour, rash, marks or ulcers on the leg or feet. According to experts, vascular disease can be as life threatening as heart disease, but is unfortunately misunderstood.

"Many people with the early symptoms of lower leg PVD, especially leg pain on walking, assume that this is just part of getting older and do not seek medical attention until they become severely ill," said Dr Paresh Pai, Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon, Bombay Hospital.

Vascular patients at the end may end up suffering from gangrene of toe and foot, finally leading into amputation of limbs.

"Fortunately vascular disease, if detected and treated early, can usually be resolved," said Dr Gireesh Warawdekar, Vascular and Interventional Radiologist, Cumballa Hill Hospital. Though best treatment and facilities are available today in India, the awareness about the disease is very poor. Said Dr Patel, "The majority of the time doctors are unable to diagnose PVD early because it's not a well known disease. Lack of awareness on the doctors' part can lead to the loss of a limb." To diagnose PVD, limb's temperature and presence of pulse should be checked, he said. "Often, a patient with pain in the leg does not receive proper treatment. Mainly, doctors diagnose it as an orthopaedic problem," said Dr Rahul Sheth, Interventional Radiologist, Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai.

Significant breakthrough in treatment of PVD is now possible with the medical technologies like Frontrunner CTO catheter and Outback Re-Entry Catheter. Both devices facilitate the placement of a guidewire in minimally invasive procedures such as angioplasty and stenting, in the treatment of chronic total occlusion (CTO). CTO is a complete or partial blockage of an artery that can necessitate amputation of a limb. "The use of such CTO devices has now expanded the range of treatment and new therapies to PVD patients and physicians in India. Initially, several CTO cases could not be treated optimally, as many times the guidewire used in angioplasty could not bore through the blockage, which can now be efficiently handled with such devices," shared Dr Pai.

According to Dr Warawdekar, "Vascular disease is a key therapeutic area in India with rising incidences. The success rate of doing an angioplasty in a case with CTO in much higher now. In case the blockage in the artery cannot be bored, the OutBack Re-Entry Catheter is employed, the use of which will see fewer patients having to go in for major bypass surgeries in the future. These new technologies also provide great ease of handling and the time taken for an angioplasty is almost halved."

Sonal Shukla