The Hospital de La Ribera prevents amputation in 70% of patients with ulcers and lesions in feet.

-The hospital uses the angioplasty, a minimally invasive performed with local anesthesia, surgery that opens blocked arteries so that blood water correctly the legs and feet of affected

-70% of the treated patients had ulcers not healing and 20% already had gangrene injury

Alzira, April of 2013- El Hospital Universitario de La Ribera is avoiding major amputations in 70% of advanced lesions produced in feet and legs for artery disease, that is, by the lack of a proper supply of blood to the lower extremities. The majority of these cases are advanced diabetic foot.

The University Hospital de La Ribera addresses this pathology through angioplasty, surgery minimally invasive, which opens blocked arteries so that blood water correctly legs and feet affected, thus disappearing lesions, pain and the risk of amputation.

This technique allows you to treat the arteries that is below the knee, which have diameters smaller than 3 mm, so it requires a very specific material as well as interdisciplinary and coordinated work of Radiology and Vascular Surgery of the hospital services.

As pointed out Dr. Dolores Ferrer, of the service of Vascular Radiology of the Hospital de La Ribera, if they are not operated, the patients who arrive at the Hospital Universitario de La Ribera with advanced lesions would suffer, sooner or later, amputations. Not only angioplasty are preventing this outcome in 70% of cases, but also in 78% of patients in which, by his State, has not been possible to prevent amputations, these have been minor (foot toe or metatarsal); only 3 cases the amputation has been carried out above the knee (supracondylar) ”.

In addition, Dr. Ferrer said that the completion of angioplasty has allowed that, in cases which has had to carry out amputations, the bed of the amputation has healed best, opening the arteries that are above the ”.

The University Hospital de La Ribera has already dealt with this procedure to 48 patients with major injuries in the lower limbs, of which over 80% were diabetic and nearly 70% had ulcers that have not healed, while 20% of these patients already had gangrene injuries ”.

the intervention carried out by the University Hospital de La Ribera consists of placing a small needle into a blood vessel in the groin of the patient, through which a guide (flexible wire) that navigates a catheter is inserted, at the time being the artery with X rays live. In this way, the artery opens and with an angioplasty balloon is van breaking plates attached to the walls, making it possible to back the flow of arterial blood to the leg and foot affected.

As pointed out Dr. Ferrer, it is a very thorough intervention, which usually lasts between two hours and half to three hours, while realized with local anesthesia and with very good results for the patient, who must not undergo open surgery to solve your problem ”. After the surgery, the patient must remain 24 hours resting.

Peripheral arterial disease of lower limbs

Peripheral arterial disease of lower limbs is a common ailment caused by arteriosclerosis, a disease that causes narrowing and hardening of the arteries that supply the legs and feet, to accumulate fatty material (plate of fat, cholesterol and other substances) in their walls, thus, preventing a good supply of blood to these tips.

As a result of the decrease in circulation, may result in alterations of the nerves and varying degrees of damage to the blood vessels in the legs, to appear pain, ulcers and, occasionally, gangrene, making it necessary to amputate the affected members.

This disease typically affects people over the age of 50, especially to those who have a history of diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking.

The classic symptoms of this disease are pain, burning or discomfort in the muscles of the feet, calves and thighs. They are symptoms that usually begin when you exercise or walking and disappear after several minutes at rest. If this problem is not addressed since its inception, symptoms increase, in such a way that the patient also have pain at rest, lesions on the feet and sores that may end up grangrenandose.