SAN ANTONIO – Dr. Christopher Busken with Northeast Baptist Hospital has performed surgeries for about 15 years to help people who suffer from peripheral artery disease (PAD).
PAD happens when arteries in the legs are narrowed or blocked. The disease can cause cramping, tingling and pain.
When a colleague informed Busken about a new non-invasive procedure, he wanted to determine if it would be effective for his patients.
“A lot of my patients, the vast majority, are going home the same day. So they’re not having to stay in the hospital for three to seven days. They’re not going to rehab or a nursing home,” Busken said.
It’s called the Detour System; the procedure creates a bypass around a blockage.
In a year, Busken has performed approximately 30 surgeries using the new procedure. The alternatives are open bypass or stents.
Busken likes the Detour System because he says it’s less invasive and seems to last longer than a stent.
The only problems he’s seen are with patients who don’t follow the doctor’s orders.
“If you’re not gonna take your medications, this is probably not the surgery for you,” Busken said.
Hispanics have a higher propensity to PAD because of a history of high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and other unhealthy habits.
“If you’re a patient or if you know someone with peripheral vascular disease and you’ve been told you need a bypass or you need to go back for another stent session, ask your cardiologist or ask your vascular surgeon about detour,” Busken said.
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