Rock Island Today

UnityPoint Health Board of Directors - Quad Cities recently issued the following announcement.

Trinity Bettendorf is now offering a cutting-edge treatment for a disease impacting millions of Americans. The hospital recently became one of the first in the region to use the Eluvia ™ Drug-Eluting Vascular Stent, a device recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is designed to restore blood flow in the peripheral arteries above the knee in patients suffering from peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Dr. Nicolas Shammas of the Midwest Cardiovascular Research Foundation implanted the first Eluvia Drug-Eluting Stent in a patient at the UnityPoint Health – Trinity Bettendorf catheterization lab on October 24, 2018.

"It is exciting to be able to offer our patients in the Quad Cities the Eluvia Stent. Recently presented data indicates that it is currently the best stent available for treating arteries of the lower legs,” says Dr. Shammas.

The Eluvia Stent utilizes a drug-polymer combination to offer a sustained release of a drug paclitaxel which works to prevent narrowing of the vessel, often the cause of pain and disability for patients diagnosed with PAD.

“Re-establishing and maintaining blood flow is critical for patients suffering from this disease,” says Kathy Pulley, Director of Cardiology Services, UnityPoint Health – Trinity.

PAD occurs when fatty or calcified material builds up in the walls of the arteries and makes them narrower, thus restricting blood flow. PAD impacts about 8.5 million Americans over the age of 40, according to the American Heart Association. The most common symptom is muscle cramping in the hips, thighs or calves while walking, climbing stairs or exercising. Individuals can be at risk of developing critical limb ischemia, stroke or heart attack, so proper treatment can play a vital role in managing the disease.

“Individuals can be at risk of developing critical limb ischemia, stroke or heart attack, so proper treatment can play a vital role in managing the disease. This is a significant step forward in helping patients in the Quad Cities area,” says Pulley.

Original source can be found here.