From Wheelchair to Walking: How Surgery and Endovascular Intervention Combine to Address Leg Pain in Older Adults with Artery Blockage.

75-year-old Mr. Minh suffered from leg pain and difficulty walking due to an artery blockage in his lower limbs. The blockage, which included the iliac artery, femoral artery, and below-the-knee artery, posed a severe risk of necrosis and anemia in both legs.

Upon arrival at Tam Anh General Hospital, doctors performed multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) angiography to identify obstructions and calcifications in the arteries of both lower extremities. Dr. Nguyen Anh Dung, head of the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, was initially concerned about Mr. Minh’s ability to undergo major surgery due to his age and health conditions. However, instead of a two-legged blood vessel bypass, the medical team decided to combine surgery and endovascular intervention for a complete resolution of the condition.

During a two-hour procedure, doctors successfully bypassed the blockage in the left leg artery and placed a stent in the left iliac artery. They revascularized the right thigh, allowing Mr. Minh to regain sensation in his feet and walk again without pain or difficulty. 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 for too long. Risk factors such as age over 60 years old, smoking habits, diabetes mellitus type 2 or higher levels of triglycerides or LDL cholesterol increase the likelihood of developing this condition.

To prevent such conditions from occurring or worsening further, Dr. Dung recommends lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking habits or reducing sedentary activities that may contribute to poor circulation health.

Regular exercise is also crucial for maintaining healthy circulation throughout your body’s vessels. Aim for at least 30 minutes per day of moderate aerobic exercise such as brisk walking or cycling on most days of the week.

By addressing these risk factors early on with appropriate treatment methods like surgery combined with endovascular intervention or lifestyle changes like quitting smoking habits or engaging in regular exercise can significantly reduce complications associated with lower limb artery occlusion