Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 02/17/2009
Morbidity and mortality depend upon the artery involved, the extent of the blockage, and the patient's overall condition, which directly influences response to the surgery. Time is also a factor. In cases of sudden and complete blockage of the mesenteric...
arteries, for example, only immediate surgery can save the person's life.
Although death does not frequently occur during peripheral endarterectomy surgery, patients with widespread atherosclerosis and PAD have been shown to have increased morbidity and mortality associated with coronary artery disease, because of the common risk factors, such as cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes. PAD patients with diabetes are shown to represent 50% of all amputations. However, only a small percentage of patients undergoing peripheral endarterectomy will suffer limb loss or associated disability and reduced quality of life.
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A peripheral endarterectomy is the surgical removal of fatty deposits, called plaque, from the walls of arteries other than those of the heart and brain. The surgery is performed when plaque blocks an artery and obstructs the flow of blood and oxygen to other parts of the body, most commonly the legs but also the arms, kidneys, or intestines. The peripheral arteries most often treated with endarterectomy are those that supply the legs, especially the aortoiliac arteries in the pelvic area. Other arteries that may be treated with endarterectomy include the femoral arteries in the groin, the renal arteries that supply the kidneys, and the superior mesenteric arteries that supply the intestines.
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In the United States, 74.2 percent of heart transplantation patients are male, 68.4 percent are white, 24.7 percent are younger than age 35, 20.0 percent are ages 35–49, and 55.3 percent are age 50 or older.
From: American Heart Association
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