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May 1, 2010
Hospital News
Brooksville Regional Offers New Technology For Treating Peripheral Arterial Disease
Brooksville Regional Hospital is the first in Hernando County to offer a new treatment option to people suffering from  the debilitating effects of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) – the Diamondback 360 Orbital Atherectomy System.
Cardiologist Thomas Mathews, M.D., Medical Director of the Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) program at Brooksville Regional, has played a pivotal role in demonstrating the potential safety and effectiveness of this new technology and its ability to provide new hope for treating the disease.
Peripheral Arterial Disease is a life-threatening condition where a fatty material called plaque builds up on the inside walls of the blood vessels that carry blood from  the heart to legs and arms. The build-up of plaque causes the arteries to harden and narrow – a condition called atherosclerosis – reducing blood flow to the legs and feet. PAD can cause claudication; heavy, tired or painful legs or feet. If allowed to progress, PAD can lead to Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI), which may result in amputation of the leg.
Over 12 million people in the US alone suffer from PAD, which can cause debilitating pain in the legs. It is estimated that less than two million people are actually diagnosed with PAD and less than 700,000 are treated each year.
As one of the pioneering physicians dedicated to exploring medical advances to improve the odds for patients with PAD, Dr. Mathews believes that the new orbital atherectomy system may have come full-circle. The device uses a unique orbital motion with an off-set, diamond coated “crown” to sand away the plaque. As the crown rotates and orbit increases, centrifugal force action presses the crown against the lesion or plaque, removing a small amount of plaque with each orbit. The orbital motion is designed to create a smooth vessel opening or lumen, which may improve blood flow.
“This system optimizes the ability to remove plaque and restore flow for treating PAD – ultimately improving the patient’s quality of life and saving limbs”, Dr. Mathews said. |