Diabetic Foot Archives - ACI MedicalACI Medical

Visit ACI Medical at Desert Foot 2013

Desert Foot, the High Risk Diabetic Foot Conference, takes place from November 20-22, 2013 in Phoenix, AZ.

If you are attending, we would love for you to stop by the ACI Medical booth to talk to Dana Lockrey, our National Account Manager.

You can contact him before the meeting at dana@acimedical.com regarding treatment with ArtAssist®…The Arterial Assist Device® for the non-invasive treatment of diabetic ulcers and PAD.

Dana has tremendous experience handling VA accounts and working with veterans.

Additionally, don’t forget to listen in on “Programmed Pneumatic Compression: New Advances in Arteriogenesis” on November 20 from 4:20 to 4:40. Groundbreaking research has been done on the effects of pneumatic compression therapy on non-operable patients with severe circulatory disease. To get an idea before the meeting, visit the Arteriogenesis section on our Clinical Studies page.

Click here to view the entire Desert Foot program online.

We hope to see you there!

Nov 6, 2013 By acimedical ACI Medical, ArtAssist®...The Arterial Assist Device®, Diabetic Foot, PAD, Wound Care

Big meetings this week: Desert Foot & VEITHsymposium™

Starting tomorrow, two very important meetings will kick off and experts from ACI Medical will be attending both of them.

If you are attending Desert Foot 2012, the 9th Annual High Risk Diabetic Foot Conference, be sure to attend the 20 minute presentations given by Dr. Darwin Eton (University of Chicago) and Dr. Paul van Bemmelen (Temple University). Both will be talking about how pneumatic compression therapy with arterial pump technology can prevent amputations in non-reconstructible limbs. Both have extensive experience using the ArtAssist® device in a clinical setting.

Here is when you can hear them talk:

Paul van Bemmelen, MD
Wednesday, November 14 from 2:10 PM to 2:30 PM “Pneumatic Compression for Non-Reconstructible PAD”

Darwin Eton, MD
Thursday, November 15 from 5:45 PM to 6:05 PM “Combined Cell Therapy and Pneumatic Compression to Treat Limb Ischemia”

VEITHsymposium™ 2012 will be featuring Professor Andrew Nicolaides of the Imperial College of London. He has been invited to discuss non-reconstructible limb salvage using arterial pump technology during a 5 minute talk on Friday, November 16 from 6:46 AM to 6:51 AM (don’t forget to drink your coffee – hearing him talk is always a treat!). Professor Nicolaides has clinical experience with the ArtAssist® device as well.

As pioneers of ArtAssist®…The Arterial Assist Device® technology, we at ACI Medical invite and encourage you to contact us with your questions about anything from the device’s science to ordering one for your patient:
(888) 453-4356 or info@acimedical.com

Nov 13, 2012 By acimedical ArtAssist®...The Arterial Assist Device®, Diabetic Foot, PAD

Diabetic foot education is closer than you think – go to your community’s website to find events

Diabetic Foot Health: Keeping You On Your Feet

THURSDAY, OCT 25 10:00A TO 11:45A

at Carlsbad Senior Center, Carlsbad, CA

People with diabetes must be aware of how to prevent foot problems before they occur. Judy Greenhaw, RN, will discuss how to examine your own feet and recognize the early signs and symptoms of diabetic foot problems, know when to call the doctor, and how to recognize when a problem has become serious enough to seek emergency treatment.

Read the rest via Talks & Lectures: Diabetic Foot Health: Keeping You On Your Feet at Carlsbad Senior Center on 10/25/12 – UTSanDiego.com.

Diana’s note: If you want to learn more about serious health concerns, sometimes it’s worth it to take a look at your community calendar. Or, if you’re just not into scouring the Internet for local events that, quite frankly, don’t normally jump out and announce themselves if you have the inkling to start looking, here’s a tip: set up alerts on a reader! For example, since I have a Gmail account, I use the Google Reader to alert me when terms like “diabetic foot ulcer” and “peripheral arterial disease” pop up on the web (hint: this is where I get a lot of blog content to talk about). I find educational articles, news, and local events for screenings every single day.

So get out there and educate yourself! You won’t have to go far.

Speaking of not going far, take a look at our blogroll for the ArtAssist® device. You’ll quickly discover that it’s not just a machine – it’s a renewed sense of hope for patients whose limbs are threatened by severe arterial disease.

Thanks for reading! If you’re enjoying this content, please share it with your friends.

– Diana

Sep 20, 2012 By acimedical Diabetic Foot

Using a Pneumatic Compression Device for Lower and Upper Extremity Peripheral Arterial Disease | FAIM.org

ArtAssist®…The Arterial Assist Device®

by Steven Kavros, DPM

Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) of the lower limb is a well-documented method of arterial leg inflow enhancement in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The mechanism of action parallels the natural muscular contraction of the leg stimulating blood flow. There are three very short compression cycle per minute inflating a cuff encompassing the legs and or feet simulating the beneficial effects of walking. The rapid rise of the cuff pressure assists with emptying of the venous blood of the extremities and allows oxygenated blood to move down the limb delivering nutrients to deprived tissues. This simple mechanism of action also allows edema or swelling of the extremity to be relieved. By relieving swelling, additional oxygenated blood can be delivered to the ischemic limb. Additionally, there is an increase release of nitric oxide and certain tissue and platelet derived growth factors. The nitric oxide has a positive effect on the internal cells that line the vessel wall, enabling relaxation and improved flow. Other tissue and growth factors lead to the development of new blood vessels and therefore, improve the delivery of additional oxygen and nutrients to the extremity.

Read the rest via Using a Pneumatic Compression Device for Lower and Upper Extremity Peripheral Arterial Disease | Foundation for Alternative and Integrative Medicine.

Since the Internet is all about getting info quickly and moving on, here’s what this medical jargon means in plain English…

Dr. Kavros is talking about a leg pump (what we’ll refer to as an arterial pump) that is proven to improve circulation to the legs and feet when the arteries are blocked. When your arteries are significantly blocked, your muscles start sending pain signals to your brain. This is called PAD – think of it as a heart attack of the legs.

The way this arterial pump technology works is by simulating walking for your blood-deprived muscles. Instead of making you get up and walk, this therapy happens while you’re sitting in a chair. When you walk, blood in the veins travels up to your heart, gets refreshed and loaded with oxygen/nutrients, and then comes back down to feed the starving muscles. The better circulation you have in your legs, the less they will hurt.

Dr. Kavros says that this compression sequence can also reduce swelling. This pump compresses your leg three times per minute. If you use the pump for three hours a day, imagine how much more blood flow you’re getting!

A fringe benefit to this therapy that was recently discovered is your body’s natural release of nitric oxide. This substance is not to be confused with nitrous oxide, which is what your dentist will give you to make you laugh at his dumb jokes while he’s working on your teeth. When nitric oxide is released by the lining of your arteries, your blood vessels temporarily open up to accept more nutritious blood. Again, this happens three times a minute so that your blood vessels are constantly widened throughout therapy.

This is the compression technology Dr. Kavros is talking about: The ArtAssist® device. To learn more, click the picture!

Update: Dr. Paul van Bemmelen has also written an article for faim.org about pneumatic compression device therapy for PAD. Read it here