Surgical treatments

The aim of this treatment is to remove the blockage in a narrowed artery in order to permit better blood circulation.

Procedure:

A catheter is inserted into the artery in the groin (but sometimes also in the arm).

By injecting a dye, the physician can follow the path of the catheter in the arteries with the help of X-rays (this is called fluoroscopy). The catheter is guided to the point where there is a narrowing of the artery. A tiny balloon is then advanced to the narrowed or blocked artery and gently inflated until the artery is sufficiently widened.

Endarterectomy is a technique that involves unclogging the arteries with open surgery: the skin is cut open with a scalpel.

The surgeon then removes the plaque formed by atherosclerosis that is responsible for clogging the artery in the leg (called the common femoral artery) which is located in the groin (upper thigh).

The surgeon makes a skin incision in the fold of the groin. The plaque is then removed from the artery and the artery is closed with stitches.

Arterial “blockages” can also occur in the abdominal area in the aorta, which is the largest artery in the human body, or in two of its main branches, the iliac arteries.

In aortic surgery, the diseased aorta is replaced with a synthetic prosthesis that improves blood flow to the legs. The procedure can take several hours and may involve groin incisions, blood transfusions (in some cases), hospitalization and post-operative follow-up in a specialized care unit.

Hospitalization can last several days and recovery may take two months or more.

Don’t be surprised if your surgeon insists that you quit smoking prior to having this surgery, as pulmonary or cardiac complications are frequent and dangerous.

When blocked arteries are located in the thigh or calf, a bypass in the leg may be considered. Using the {saphenous vein}, the surgeon constructs a “bridge” over the obstructions in the arteries, rerouting the blood so that it can flow normally back to the affected organs and tissues.

Déroulement : la veine saphène est prélevée pour remplacer la longueur de l’artère qui est bloquée dans la jambe. Procedure: The saphenous vein is removed to replace the section of the artery in the leg that is blocked. The length of the bypass can extend from the groin to above the knee, or sometimes to below the knee or even into the foot.

A synthetic graft may be used if the patient’s saphenous vein has already been used or if it is not long enough or not of good quality.