New Treatment for Peripheral Artery Disease

2/21/2020

SCRANTON, PA (FEBRUARY, 2020) – Commonwealth Health Regional Hospital of Scranton is one of the first in our area to offer a new atherectomy treatment. This is a breakthrough technology; the first ever image-guided atherectomy device for the treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Millions of people suffer from PAD each year. PAD is a common circulatory problem in which fats, cholesterol and other substances known as plaque, build-up inside arteries of the extremities and obstructs blood flow. When blood flow is obstructed to the lower limbs and feet, symptoms of PAD may include cramping in hip or thigh, leg numbness or weakness, coldness in lower leg or foot, color change to leg, sores that may not heal.

Atherectomy is a minimally-invasive method of removing plaque to re-open arteries and restore normal blood flow; unlike angioplasty and stenting, which are designed to push plaque to the side.

“Using this first-ever therapeutic catheter with real-time optical coherence tomography (OCT) is like having a camera on the tip of the device. This allows the physician to see inside the artery during treatment, to avoid damaging the healthy vessel, while effectively removing disease,” stated Dr. Deepika Kalisetti, interventional cardiologist. “The next day when the patient is back at home, walking around, going up and down stairs, the patient does find symptom relief.” Dr. Kalisetti added.

Deepika Kalisetti, M.D. is located at 743 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 305, Scranton.

Call 570-342-1776 for more information.

Dr. D. Kalisetti is employed by Commonwealth Health Physician Network and is a medical staff member of Regional Hospital of Scranton. Dr. Kalisetti is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and nuclear cardiology. She is a registered physician in vascular interpretation and performs complex peripheral vascular and coronary artery procedures.