Walking Past Peripheral Artery Disease - PAD (Video)

Michael Greenman loves to walk, especially around the zoo. But when the 58-year old started to have pain in his legs that eventually become so bothersome he could no longer complete his beloved walks at ZooMiami, he sought medical help.

A diabetic, Mr. Greenman was aware of the complications that could occur, such as nerve damage and cardiovascular disease. But when his primary care doctor referred him to a vascular surgeon, he wasn’t sure what to expect. Then came a somewhat surprising diagnosis – PAD – or peripheral artery disease.

“He had a blockage in the [leg] artery,” said Barry Katzen, M.D., founder and chief medical executive of Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute. “We placed a small catheter with a balloon that had medication on it to prevent narrowing [of the artery] in the long term.”

(Video: Miami resident Michael Greenman talks about being treated for peripheral artery disease, or PAD, at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute. Video by George Carvalho)

The procedure, called angioplasty, is performed by an interventional radiologist or by vascular surgeon through surgical bypass. This catheter-based therapy restores blood flow to the legs and is used to treat PAD that has advanced beyond an early stage of the disease.

PAD is a disease that affects a person’s arteries – most of the time it’s the vessels that bring blood to the legs. It is more common in people who have heart disease or conditions that can cause cardiovascular complications, such as diabetes.

After recovering from the procedure and building up his stamina, Mr. Greenman is back to his regular walking. The Baptist Health South Florida News Team caught up with him as he prepared for a trip to Disney World with his wife.

“I’m able to walk a lot more now, and I’m very happy about it,” Mr. Greenman said.

For more, watch the video now.