The SilverHawk Plaque Excision System is a catheter-based technology used primarily by interventional cardiologists, radiologists, and vascular surgeons for the treatment of PAD.

Dr. Christopher Bosarge, an interventional radiologist with Coastal Vascular and Interventional, enrolled the first patient in the area in a national clinical research study using a new device to treat peripheral arterial disease (PAD) by removing plaque that forms in the arteries of the legs and feet.

The DEFINITIVE LE (Lower Extremity) Post-Market Study is a study to evaluate the intermediate and long-term effectiveness of stand-alone SilverHawk® Plaque Excision therapy to improve blood flow to the legs. Up to 800 patients are expected to be enrolled from 50 clinical sites throughout the United States and Europe.

“Plaque removal with the SilverHawk catheter has been an effective treatment for peripheral arterial disease,” says Dr. Stuart Harlin, a vascular surgeon at Sacred Heart Hospital. “In this case, we were able to restore blood flow by removing plaque and do it without leaving a permanent implant behind.  We expect this patient to achieve much better mobility and resolution of his leg pain.”

The SilverHawk Plaque Excision System is a catheter-based technology used primarily by interventional cardiologists, radiologists, and vascular surgeons for the treatment of PAD.  The device uses a small rotating blade to shave away plaque from inside the artery.  As it is cut away, the plaque collects in the tip of the device and then is removed from the patient, thereby restoring blood flow with minimal trauma to the legs and no need for a permanent implant, such as a stent.

“Sacred Heart is committed to constantly improving patient care, and we take pride in offering the latest technologies,” says Dr. Paul Baroco, chief medical officer for Sacred Heart Health System.  “Peripheral arterial disease continues to be under-diagnosed and can lead to significant lifestyle compromise.  Our involvement in this study will help advance our understanding of this progressive disease and the best ways to treat it.”

PAD occurs when leg arteries become narrowed or blocked by plaque.  These blockages can result in severe pain for patients, limited physical mobility, and life-threatening non-healing leg ulcers.  According to the American Heart Association, this condition affects approximately 8 to 12 million Americans.  With only about 25 percent of PAD patients undergoing treatment, it is a disease that is largely under-diagnosed and under-treated.  If left untreated, PAD can lead to critical limb ischemia, a condition where not enough blood is being delivered to the leg to keep the tissue alive.  Total loss of circulation to the legs and feet can cause gangrene and lead to amputation.

For more information on this trial or other vascular services at Sacred Heart, please call (850) 416-1600 or visit www.sacred-heart.org.

About Sacred Heart Hospital

Sacred Heart Health System has established itself as Northwest Florida’s most preferred hospital and its leader in providing high quality health care to children and adults. Key services of the 458-bed hospital in Pensacola include: our Regional Heart and Vascular Institute, Children’s and Women’s Hospital, a Level II Trauma Center, Cancer Center, a home health agency, a 120-bed nursing home and a network of primary care and specialty doctors that stretches from Foley, Alabama to Panama City Beach, Florida