ALBUQUERQUE – April 1, 2019 – The first ever percutaneous leg bypass in New Mexico was performed at Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center by New Mexico Heart Institute vascular surgeon Steven Henao, M.D., FSVS, FACS.
The patient was enrolled in the DETOUR II study, a global trial in the United States examining the safety and efficacy of the PQ Bypass investigational device. PQ Bypass was designed to improve blood flow in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), caused by long blockages in the superficial femoral artery. The bypass is performed without an incision, resulting in less scarring and shorter recovery time.
“New Mexico Heart Institute and Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center are the first in our region to provide this cutting-edge innovation to our patients suffering from peripheral arterial disease,” said Dr. Henao. “We are able to repair these large blockages without performing open surgery with large incisions. I am excited to offer this option to our patients in New Mexico.”
The PQ Bypass re-directs oxygen-rich blood around the diseased part of the vessel, restoring blood flow to the lower leg and foot of the patient. If left untreated, PAD can damage arteries, leading to debilitating leg pain that limits mobility, damages lower leg tissues or can even lead to amputation.
“Our physicians and staff have the highest level of cardiovascular expertise at Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center,” said Denzil Ross, administrator for the Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center. “We are very happy to be able to treat our patients, who would otherwise have no option but amputation, to save their limbs and gain a better quality of life.”
For more information on advanced heart and vascular procedures being performed at Heart Hospital of New Mexico, call 505.841.1000 or visit hearthospitalnm.com.
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Contact:
Whitney Marquez, Lovelace Health System
Phone: 505.727.5503
Lovelace Health System consists of Lovelace Medical Group, Lovelace Women’s Hospital, Lovelace Medical Center, Lovelace Westside Hospital, Lovelace Regional Hospital in Roswell and Lovelace UNM Rehabilitation Hospital. For more information, go to www.lovelace.com.