Due to multiple risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking, some people develop blockages in the arteries that supply blood flow to the legs. These blockages can result in pain with walking and sores that can lead to amputation. The DETOUR™ procedure (percutaneous transmural arterial bypass) is a minimally invasive procedure that allows blood flow to be routed around the blockage to deliver more oxygen to the lower leg without making any incisions. The bypass is performed through a small puncture in the artery under sedation. Stents are maneuvered from a point in the artery above the blockage into a nearby vein and then back into the artery at a point below the blockage. Patients usually can go home the next day. The procedure has a 100% technical success rate and gives symptom relief to over 97% of the patients. The first DETOUR™ procedure was done at South Suburban Hospital by Dr. Sanjeev Pradhan, a vascular surgeon, on a patient not deemed to be an ideal candidate for more traditional bypass surgery. The patient underwent the procedure and was discharged home within a few days with complete resolution of his toe pain. “The DETOUR™ procedure is just one more new and innovative option I have in order to treat my patients in a minimally invasive way. Surgery can be the right answer sometimes, but not for everyone. Having this option available helps my patients get the treatment they deserve without forcing them into a one size fits all way of thinking. These procedures require a unique set of skills and talent and my teammates in the interventional radiology department definitely possess those! Beyond that, they are patient-centered and have very positive attitudes. This is helpful for the case to go well and for the patients to feel comfortable and safe.”
