Mankato Clinic Cardiologist Brings Atherectomy Treatment to Region

Mankato - Mankato Clinic Interventional Cardiologist, Yassar Almanaseer, M.D., who joined the Mankato Clinic last fall, has been able to offer Greater Mankato patients for the first time an innovative treatment option for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).

PAD is a serious condition that causes blood vessels in the legs, and sometimes arms, to become restricted or blocked. Arterial blockages occur when plaque, thrombus or calcium builds up along artery walls and, if left untreated, can lead to sores that do not heal, or heal slowly, gangrene and amputation.

PAD is common, affecting approximately 12 million people in the United States, and is often identified in patients complaining of pain, numbness, or tingling in the legs, and of painful wounds that do not seem to heal. Pain while walking is an early warning sign, which is why many adults do not seek medical attention for PAD because they are often overlooked as a typical part of the aging process. In fact, only half of those with symptoms of PAD seek diagnosis and treatment.

Once a patient is diagnosed with PAD, there are several treatment options – ranging all the way from medical therapy to bypass surgery. Atherectomy, an innovative and less invasive option performed by Dr. Almanaseer, uses either an excimer laser or rotating shaver "burr" device on the end of a catheter to clear arterial blockages. The atherectomy procedure is performed within one to two hours, followed by only one to two days of recovery. According to Dr. Almanaseer, patients are sedated during the procedure and experience very little, if any, discomfort. “They are typically back on their feet and pain-free in a couple days,” says Dr. Almanaseer.

Almanaseer says in the short time that he has been practicing in Mankato, it has been exciting to see patients benefit from the procedure and significantly improve their quality of life. “The procedure has allowed patients to discontinue using canes, begin exercising, experience weight loss, and ultimately improve their overall health,” says Dr. Almanaseer.

Dr. Almanaseer received special training in atherectomy while completing a fellowship at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit. Because the training is very specialized, few physicians in Greater Minnesota offer this treatment.

“Nearly 160,000 amputations happen every year that could have been prevented. Amputation is a complicated procedure that changes one’s life forever. Patients should not be subjected to this life-altering procedure when a minimally invasive treatment option exists to restore blood flow to the legs and feet,” says Dr. Almanaseer.

PAD can be caused by many risk factors, including smoking, diabetes, hypertension, chronic renal insufficiency, advanced age, family history of PAD and obesity. The disease is caused most often by other conditions such as atherosclerosis, in which fatty plaques form in the inside walls of blood vessels.