Mega Doctor News
A potentially devastating event in a person’s life, amputation often results in profound consequences. It presents multi-directional challenges that affect function and sensation, as well as overall body image and a person’s social and psychological well-being.
In the United States, approximately 185,000 patients a year undergo a lower extremity amputation, per the National Center for Biotechnology Information, with a leading cause of amputation being peripheral artery disease (PAD), acondition that impacts millions across the globe, including many in the Rio Grande Valley.
Caused by a buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances along the artery walls, peripheral artery disease includes an increased risk for heart complications, as well as significant blockages in the flow of blood to the arms, legs or feet. The disease affects about eight to 10 million adults across the United States, per the American Heart Association, with the number of people with PAD increasing due to an aging population and the rise of obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
The most severe cases of PAD lead to limb amputation. Of the nearly 100,000 major leg amputations performed every year in the U.S., more than half are attributable to PAD and diabetes, per the National Institutes of Health. Alarmingly, within one year of a limb amputation due to PAD, more than half of patients die.
Across the country, there are a limited number of programs dedicated to limb salvage and amputation prevention. According to the Journal of Vascular Surgery, these programs have proven effective at both preventing disease progression and providing early intervention in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia, the most severe stage of peripheral artery disease.
In the Rio Grande Valley, South Texas Health System is leading the charge in limb preservation through the launch of the STHS Limb Salvage & Amputation Prevention Program at STHS Edinburg.
Consisting of a dedicated multidisciplinary team focused on limb preservation and two peripheral and coronary laboratories that house the Philips Allura Xper FD20 system, which features advanced technology, brilliant image quality and clinical performance, STHS is offering the most advanced therapies available to reduce leg amputations and provide patients with the intervention required to help prevent lower extremity limb loss.
“Losing a leg isn’t only a life changing experience that affects a person’s ability to move, work and maintain their independence, it significantly impacts their life expectancy, with mortality rates ranging from 39-80% in five years, according to the latest research,” says Lance Ames, Chief Executive Officer, STHS Edinburg and STHS Children’s. “With the leading technology aimed at improving and restoring lives through advanced care, the STHS Limb Salvage & Amputation Prevention Program is providing a lifeline to patients suffering from peripheral artery disease. STHS is committed to providing the medical interventions necessary to prevent lower extremity limb loss.”
Through education, early detection and timely treatment, the program is designed to identify diseased limbs and restore blood flow with the goal of preserving the mobility and functionality of the limb and minimizingamputations.
To commemorate the launch of the STHS Limb Salvage & Amputation Prevention Program, STHS Edinburg will host a ribbon cutting and open house event that will include a tour of the cardiac catheterization laboratories.
Taking place Thursday, January 30, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., in the Cardiac Cath Lab located near the facility’s surgical services department, attendees will have an opportunity to hear from program leaders, interact with the Philips Allura Xper FD20 system and learn more about STHS’s mission to improve the quality of life for the people of the Rio Grande Valley living with PAD.
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, STHS Edinburg will host a special open house from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. in the facility’s Cardiac Cath Lab for local physicians, who will have the opportunity to take part in hands-on simulated models aimed at highlighting some of the procedures performed through the STHS Limb Salvage & Amputation Prevention Program to diagnose and treat PAD. The event is open to the public, including those who may be living with PAD. To RSVP, email STHSMarketing@uhsinc.com or call 956-388-2033.
For more information on the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, visit www.southtexashealthsystemedinburg.com.
| Who: | South Texas Health System Edinburg |
| What: | Ribbon Cutting & Open House Event for Launch of STHS Limb Salvage & Amputation Program |
| When: | Thursday, January 30, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. |
| Where: | Cardiac Catheterization LabSouth Texas Health System Edinburg1102 W. Trenton Rd. Edinburg, TX. 78539 |
