Arterial Disease Specialist

Northeast Houston Vein Center

Vein & Vascular & Certified Cosmetic Laser Technician located in Memorial Hermann Medical Plaza 3 in Humble, TX & Northeast Houston, TX

Do your legs hurt when you’re active but then feel better after you rest? If so, you may have peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a condition that affects 12 million adults and puts you at risk of needing an amputation and having a heart attack or stroke. Madaiah Revana, MD, FACC, at Northeast Houston Vein Center in Humble, Texas, has extensive experience treating PAD. Dr. Revana begins with conservative therapies and uses his skill in advanced endovascular procedures when needed to eliminate plaque. If you experience leg pain, call the office or schedule an appointment online today.

Arterial Disease Q & A

What causes peripheral arterial disease?

PAD develops when cholesterol and other fats accumulate in the artery wall, a condition called atherosclerosis. As the fatty plaque enlarges, it limits or stops the flow of blood.

You can develop PAD in any of the arteries located outside your heart, but it typically occurs in your legs.

What symptoms develop if I have peripheral arterial disease?

When plaque gets large enough to significantly block the flow of blood, you may experience symptoms like:

Pain in your legs and buttocks when you’re active
Lower temperature in the affected leg
Leg fatigue, numbness, and weakness
Hair loss on the affected leg
Poor or decreased nail growth in your toes
Skin changes on the affected leg
Slow-healing ulcers on your legs, feet, or toes

Loss of blood to your lower legs and feet means that the tissues are deprived of oxygen. This leads to open wounds called ulcers that don’t heal without intensive wound care.

In severe cases, lack of oxygen causes tissue death and leads to the risk of amputation.

Am I at risk of developing arterial disease?

The risk factors that contribute to arterial disease include:

Being older than 40
Being a smoker (either now or in the past)
Having diabetes
Having high cholesterol
Having high blood pressure
Having a personal or family history of heart attack or stroke

Your risk is also higher if you’re overweight or obese.

How is peripheral arterial disease treated?

After performing an ultrasound to evaluate your arteries and determine the size of the blockage, Dr. Revana creates an individualized treatment plan.

Dr. Revana prescribes lifestyle changes and medications to treat underlying conditions that contribute to atherosclerosis, such as hypertension and high cholesterol. Your treatment for the plaque depends on the size of the blockage and your symptoms.

When Dr. Revana determines the plaque should be removed, he recommends minimally invasive endovascular procedures such as:

Angioplasty and stenting

After making a tiny incision, Dr. Revana inserts a catheter into a blood vessel and guides it to the blockage. Then he inflates a balloon that restores blood flow by pushing the plaque against the artery wall.

In some cases, he also deploys a stent, which stays in the artery to hold it open.

Atherectomy

If the plaque is too hard to push aside with a balloon, Dr. Revana uses a catheter equipped with a blade that can cut away the plaque or grind it into microscopic pieces.

If you develop leg pain, don’t wait to schedule an appointment by calling Northeast Houston Vein Center or using the online booking feature today.