Patients with complex calcified peripheral artery disease (PAD) have a new treatment option to help relieve quality-of-life-limiting symptoms resulting from an advanced form of the common condition. Willis Knighton Health is the first healthcare organization in the region and one of only 10 in the country to use the SEISMIQ Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL) system. Interventional cardiologist Jagan Beedupalli, MD, of Willis Knighton Cardiology, performed the procedure at Willis Knighton Heart & Vascular Institute.

“The SEISMIQ IVL therapy is the latest in advanced, cutting-edge technology that we offer. It is a minimally invasive procedure that helps us deliver safer, faster and more effective care with improved long-term outcomes,” Dr. Beedupalli said.  

The SEISMIQ IVL system utilizes laser generated acoustic pressure waves to break up hardened calcium within the wall of the artery without damaging soft tissue, preparing the blood vessel and the patient for balloon angioplasty or stent placement. Recovery is immediate and less painful to the patient compared to traditional treatment.

PAD is a common circulatory condition in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs, most often in the legs. In many advanced cases, plaque buildup in the arteries becomes calcified, making the arteries stiff and harder to treat with traditional tools. These hardened calcium deposits can prevent balloons or stents from expanding properly, making procedures less effective and more difficult to perform.

Between 10 and 123 million people suffer from PAD in the United States. Risk factors include smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol and chronic kidney disease, among others. Because adequate blood flow to limbs is essential for wound healing and limb preservation, calcification can be particularly challenging for patients with calcification. 

Patients with complex calcified peripheral artery disease (PAD) have a new treatment option to help relieve quality-of-life-limiting symptoms resulting from an advanced form of the common condition. Willis Knighton Health is the first healthcare organization in the region and one of only 10 in the country to use the SEISMIQ Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL) system. Interventional cardiologist Jagan Beedupalli, MD, of Willis Knighton Cardiology, performed the procedure at Willis Knighton Heart & Vascular Institute.

“The SEISMIQ IVL therapy is the latest in advanced, cutting-edge technology that we offer. It is a minimally invasive procedure that helps us deliver safer, faster and more effective care with improved long-term outcomes,” Dr. Beedupalli said.  

The SEISMIQ IVL system utilizes laser generated acoustic pressure waves to break up hardened calcium within the wall of the artery without damaging soft tissue, preparing the blood vessel and the patient for balloon angioplasty or stent placement. Recovery is immediate and less painful to the patient compared to traditional treatment.

PAD is a common circulatory condition in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs, most often in the legs. In many advanced cases, plaque buildup in the arteries becomes calcified, making the arteries stiff and harder to treat with traditional tools. These hardened calcium deposits can prevent balloons or stents from expanding properly, making procedures less effective and more difficult to perform.

Between 10 and 123 million people suffer from PAD in the United States. Risk factors include smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol and chronic kidney disease, among others. Because adequate blood flow to limbs is essential for wound healing and limb preservation, calcification can be particularly challenging for patients with calcification.