Mr. Minh, a 75-year-old man, was suffering from severe leg pain and difficulty walking due to an artery blockage in his lower limbs. Dr. Le Van Tuyen from Tam Anh General Hospital performed a “2 in 1” intervention to save the blood vessels in his legs. Upon arrival at the hospital, Mr. Minh’s legs were severely blocked in the arteries of both lower extremities, including the iliac artery, femoral artery, and below-the-knee artery. This blockage posed a risk of severe anemia in both legs, with a lower limb ischemia index indicating a risk of necrosis.
The medical team initially considered Mr. Minh’s age and underlying health conditions as factors that could make him unfit for major surgery. However, based on multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) angiography results, they identified obstructions and calcifications in the arteries of both lower extremities. Dr. Nguyen Anh Dung, Head of the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, decided to combine surgery and endovascular intervention to completely resolve the condition.
During a two-hour procedure, the doctors bypassed the blockage in the left leg artery and placed a stent in the left iliac artery. They successfully revascularized the right thigh, allowing Mr. Minh to regain sensation in his feet and walk again. After three days, he was discharged from the hospital with normal blood perfusion in both legs and smooth flow in the stents.
Arterial occlusion in the lower extremities can lead to severe symptoms like leg pain, pale skin, and necrosis if left untreated. Factors like age, smoking, diabetes, and sedentary lifestyle increase the risk of blockages in the leg arteries.
To prevent such conditions from occurring or worsening due to these risk factors