Devin Zarkowsky, MDSpecial to Valley News
Limb preservation with revascularization
Vascular surgeons work hard to keep limbs on bodies. Often, folks with diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure, or a history of smoking present to us with diminished or absent blood flow to their feet, causing pain in or even wounds on their feet. This disease process is chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), part of the peripheral arterial disease (PAD) spectrum. Intervening to improve blood flow, relieve pain, and heal wounds is the foundation of limb preservation, along with multi-disciplinary teams, including podiatrists and wound care specialists. Amputation is a last resort; an irrevocable step altering a person’s future when preservation options have been exhausted. Regaining ambulati
