St. Francis Heart Center surgeon uses ‘cool’ laser to treat arterial blockages

INDIANAPOLIS – A patient with severe peripheral artery disease has been successfully treated with a new minimally invasive procedure performed for the first time at the St. Francis Heart Center.

Cardiologist William J. Berg, M.D., recently performed the laser ablation procedure using a device developed by Spectranetics, a Colorado Springs-based manufacturer of cardiovascular treatment equipment.

Laser ablation is a procedure that eliminates blockages within peripheral arteries in a patient’s legs. It uses an excimer, or "cool" laser that produces pulsed bursts of light energy transmitted along flexible glass fibers encased in catheters. The device is easily passed through arteries and veins.

Light energy is then focused on the blockages and vaporizes them into tiny particles that are absorbed into the bloodstream. The procedure restores blood flow, thus saving limbs and improving patients’ overall health.

In contrast to the long recovery time required after bypass surgery, this new procedure is performed within one to two hours, followed by up to two days for recovery.

"Patients experience very little, if any, discomfort during the procedure," said Berg, a physician with Indiana Heart Physicians at St. Francis.

PAD is a cardiovascular disease that restricts or blocks blood flow in the legs. Arterial blockages, or hardening of the arteries, occur when plaque, thrombus or calcium builds up along artery walls. If left untreated it can lead to sores that do not heal, or heal slowly, potentially resulting in gangrene and amputation.

Those suffering from PAD are at increased risk for heart disease, aortic aneurysms and stroke. It’s estimated that 75 percent of people with PAD are currently undiagnosed.

More information about services available at the St. Francis Heart Center is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/Heart.

Information about Spectranetics is at www.spectranetics.com.