Peripheral Artery Intervention

What is peripheral artery intervention?

A peripheral artery intervention is a procedure your provider at Cardiology Specialists of Orange County might perform to address a circulatory problem.

Peripheral arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood away from your heart, delivering oxygen around your body to your legs and arms, brain, and other organs.

You might need to undergo a peripheral artery intervention if one of these arteries is diseased or blocked, stopping blood from flowing freely. A lack of oxygen to vital tissues can cause peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and other serious health problems, including strokes.

What conditions can peripheral artery interventions treat?

The most common reason to need a peripheral artery intervention is atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis occurs when your arteries get narrower because of a sticky residue build-up called plaque, which consists of cholesterol and waste products circulating in your blood.

Atherosclerosis not only narrows your arteries, but it can lead to the formation of a blood clot or arterial thrombosis that could block the artery altogether.

The Cardiology Specialists of Orange County team treats arteries all through your body using peripheral artery interventions, including:

Lower extremity arteries

Your lower extremities are your legs and feet. The arteries in your legs may develop PAD.

Carotid arteries

The carotid arteries take blood to your head and brain. Narrowing due to carotid artery disease or a blockage in the carotid artery can lead to a stroke.

Renal arteries

The renal arteries supply your kidneys with blood. Narrowing due to renal artery stenosis or obstruction could lead to kidney failure.

What are the types of peripheral artery interventions?

The most common peripheral artery intervention at Cardiology Specialists of Orange County is balloon angioplasty. This is a minimally invasive cardiac catheterization procedure for widening the inside of your arteries – a process known as revascularization.

Your provider inserts a slim tube called a catheter into an artery, which could be in your groin or elsewhere, then threads it through to the blocked section. They inflate the balloon at the end of the catheter, which squashes the plaque flat. They might also leave a stent in place (a small mesh tube) to ensure the artery stays open.

Another type of peripheral artery intervention is atherectomy. In this procedure, your provider also uses cardiac catheterization, but instead of flattening the plaque, they use a special tool to cut it away.

Find out whether peripheral artery intervention is a beneficial treatment for you; call Cardiology Specialists of Orange County or book an appointment online today.