Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) (also known as Peripheral vascular disease) is a fairly common condition that is often dismissed or mistaken for something else. It affects eight to 12 million people in the United States, especially those older than 50, according to the National Institutes of Health. That means one out of every 20 people in the United States suffers from this disease.

It is associated with cramping, pain or tiredness in the leg or hip muscles while walking or climbing stairs. Typically, this pain goes away with rest but returns when you begin walking again. If you think you may have PAD, you should be evaluated. People with peripheral arterial disease have a higher risk of coronary artery disease, heart attack or stroke. If untreated, PAD can lead to gangrene and amputation. Nebraska Medicine's Vascular Center is devoted to the diagnosis, treatment and management of circulatory system diseases such as PAD.

Get Treated for PAD at Nebraska Medicine to Receive:

Complete Evaluation

Most patients after seeing their provider will be referred to get studies done on their legs.

Evaluations often include:

• Exam and Blood Tests
• Advanced Imaging - Ultrasound, Angiogram
• Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI)

Know Your Risk Factors

Family history, Over 50 years old. Over age 50, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol. Smoking or formerly a smoker.

Treatment

Treatment options may include endovascular surgery, open bypass or a combination of the two.

Procedures May Include:

• Atherectomy
• Endovascular surgery, open bypass, or a combination of the two
• Balloon Angioplasty
• Stenting

Why Come to Nebraska Medicine for Treatment of Your Peripheral Vascular Disease

Nebraska Medicine's Vascular Program is dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment and management of circulatory system diseases along with leading edge technology such as Lumivascular image guided therapy to avoid damage during surgery.

Comprehensive Care Team

The program brings together experienced specialists from cardiology, interventional radiology, vascular surgery, neurosurgery, and cardiothoracic surgery to provide patients with a collaborative and comprehensive approach to vascular care.

Advanced diagnostic tools

Using the most advanced diagnostic tools to provides fast and efficient evaluation. Our noninvasive vascular laboratories provide a full range of advanced imaging studies to correctly diagnose your circulatory abnormality so our specialists can develop the most effective treatment plan.

Hybrid operating room

Our hybrid operating room can be used as a catheterization lab or interventional radiology suite and gives our specialists the ability to do open surgery at the same time, allowing them to perform the most complex cases.

This advanced technology allows our specialists to perform difficult to treat cases including advanced atherosclerotic disease, lower extremity arterial interventions and surgery for critical limb ischemia, chronic venous insufficiency, limb salvage in severe peripheral vascular disease, wound care with HBO availability and thoracic outlet syndrome.

Expert Teams to Help You

Nebraska Medicine's Vascular Center brings together experienced specialists from vascular surgery, cardiology, interventional radiology, neurosurgery, and cardiothoracic surgery. While each doctor brings a unique set of skills, they work together to provide patients with a collaborative and comprehensive approach to vascular care.

The Most Advanced Diagnostic Tools in the Field

The Vascular Center uses the most advanced diagnostic tools to provide fast and efficient evaluation. Our noninvasive vascular laboratories provide a full range of advanced imaging studies to correctly diagnose your circulatory abnormality so our specialists can develop the most effective treatment plan.

Innovative Treatment Options

Innovations in endovascular therapy provide patients with a variety of options to treat PAD. The vascular specialists at Nebraska Medicine are trained in the latest minimally invasive and open surgical techniques to provide patients with the fullest range of options to restore blood flow to blocked arteries.

A Limb Saving Program, if You Need It

Nebraska Medicine's limb salvage team employs the most advanced medical and surgical techniques to diagnose and treat serious wounds and complications that commonly occur among people with PAD. These are individuals who might otherwise face amputation. The team is composed of vascular surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, hyperbaric medicine specialists, and plastic and reconstructive surgeons. Call 402-559.6088 or 402.559.8986 for more information.

Research

Doctors at Nebraska Medicine are involved in research to test newer, leading edge and experimental procedures to treat PAD and other vascular conditions. This area of medicine is in constant evolution with improvements in equipment and tools and Nebraska Medicine physicians are at the forefront of these new advances.