In a major step forward in advanced vascular care, Kolkata doctors have successfully helped give a new lease of life to an elderly man walk again.
Dr. Ranjan Kr. Sharma, who is the senior consultant, Cardiology at Manipal Hospital, Salt Lake, performed advanced atherectomy-assisted procedure for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) in Kolkata. The minimally invasive treatment was carried out on a 75-year-old patient suffering from both heart and leg artery blockages, enabling him to recover quickly and return to his normal routine within just 24 hours.
The patient had undergone angioplasty 11 years ago, during which two stents were placed in critical heart arteries – the Left Anterior Descending (LAD) artery and the Right Coronary Artery (RCA). Recently, he began experiencing shortness of breath and severe pain in his left leg while walking, a classic symptom of PAD known as claudication, refers to Peripheral Artery Disease, a condition where arteries that supply blood to the legs become narrowed or blocked, usually due to atherosclerosis (fatty plaque buildup).
A fresh angiography revealed that while the earlier stents were functioning well, a new blockage had developed in the right coronary artery beyond the previous stent. More concerning were two severe blockages (70–80 per cent and 90 per cent, one heavily calcified) in the left superficial femoral artery, the main artery supplying blood to the leg. The cardiac team at the hospital, first performed a routine coronary angioplasty to restore blood flow to the heart. However, treating leg artery required a more advanced approach.
Unlike heart arteries, leg arteries are exposed to external pressure from daily activities such as sitting and bending, making long-term stenting less reliable. To overcome this challenge, doctors used a state-of-the-art atherectomy device for the first time at the facility. The device works with a high-speed, drill-like rotating tip that carefully shaves off hardened cholesterol and calcium deposits from inside the artery. A built-in suction system simultaneously removes debris, preventing it from travelling to smaller vessels. This prepares the artery for safer balloon treatment and significantly reduces the need for permanent stents.
Explaining the procedure, Dr. Ranjan Kr Sharma said, “In patients with severe calcium buildup in the arteries, inflating a balloon alone can damage the vessel and may force us to place a stent. Atherectomy helps by safely removing the hardened plaque first, making the treatment safer, reducing complications, avoiding unnecessary stenting, and ensuring better long-term outcomes. Earlier, recurrence rates were around 15–20%, but with this advanced technology, they can drop to less than 2–3%. With lifestyle-related diseases on the rise, Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is becoming increasingly common. PAD is more frequently seen in people with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a history of smoking, and studies show that nearly 20% of patients with coronary artery disease may also develop it. Since symptoms are often mistaken for nerve pain, diagnosis is delayed, and in severe cases, the disease can progress to limb discoloration or even gangrene. Early diagnosis and advanced treatments like atherectomy can prevent major complications and significantly improve quality of life.”
The additional step takes just 15–20 minutes and is minimally invasive. The patient was monitored for 24 hours due to the small groin puncture used to access the artery and was discharged the next day. He was advised to resume normal activities almost immediately. Expressing his relief, the 75-year-old patient Nabin Das (name changed) shared, “Walking had become painful and stressful. I was worried about losing my mobility. After the procedure, I feel comfortable and confident again. I am thankful to the doctors for giving me back my active life so quickly.”
