Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease (PAD)

Peripheral arterial occlusive disease, often called peripheral artery disease (PAD) or peripheral vascular disease, occurs when the arteries become narrowed or blocked. This causes poor blood flow to the arms and, more commonly, the legs.

This condition can cause claudication, which is a term used to refer to pain in the legs while walking due to lack of sufficient blood flow. This can seriously impact your quality of life. Thankfully, the compassionate surgeons at Weill Cornell Medicine are highly skilled at treating peripheral arterial occlusive disease and helping our patients enjoy the best possible health and well-being.

Leading Surgeons and Personalized Care for PAD

Using the most advanced technology available, our team carefully evaluates each patient to understand your peripheral arterial occlusive disease and develop a personalized treatment plan to help you achieve the best possible long-term health.

Minimally Invasive Angioplasty Treatment

Our surgeons are highly skilled at performing minimally invasive angioplasty-based treatments to treat arterial occlusive disease. During this procedure, a catheter (long, thin tube) is inserted into an artery through an incision (cut) in your groin or arm. Your surgeon then guides the catheter to the narrowed artery. 

Next, the catheter is used to open the narrowed or blocked artery. Sometimes a small balloon on the catheter is inflated to stretch open the narrowed artery and, other times, catheters are used to remove plaque (buildup of cholesterol or other substances) or place a stent in the artery to help hold the artery open. For some patients, this is not needed and the artery can be treated without leaving any implants behind.

Next, your surgeon removes the balloon and catheter and applies a stitch to the artery to close the hole. After the procedure, you may go home the same day, or in some cases you will stay at the hospital for one or two nights. When you return home, you will need to avoid strenuous activities for several days, but overall the recovery period is minimal. Then, you will see your care team frequently to monitor your blood flow and promote the best possible health.

Request an Appointment

To request an appointment, please fill out our form. Our staff will help you find the physician who best fits your individual medical needs.