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A PAD Patient with Less Pain | Margie C. on the ArtAssist® Device

Margie tells us that when she had first received the ArtAssist® device from us at ACI Medical, her problems were pretty common for a patient with severe PAD (peripheral arterial disease):

Leg pain when walking, leg cramps mostly at night, toe nails coming off + not growing back normally, swelling in feet and legs from poor circulation.

These days, her testimonial tells us that since Margie has started to use the ArtAssist® device, we are glad to hear that she has gone from having rest pain and imminent tissue loss to being a claudicator.

I still have some pain when walking, the leg cramps seldom, toes are better, and bad swelling only when I overdo. I believe the [ArtAssist®] machine has kept me from worse and I will continue to use it.

Though her symptoms have not completely dissipated, we at ACI are relieved to have provided her with the means to get her out of the danger zone. Her advice to other PAD sufferers:

I would advise anyone with PAD to give it a try.

Thank you for your story, Margie! We are, of course, here for you as your ArtAssist® device therapy continues and we wish you all the best.

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Sep 5, 2012 By ArtAssist®...The Arterial Assist Device®, PAD

September is National PAD Awareness Month

PAD stands for peripheral arterial disease. According to the US Department of Health & Human Services, PAD affects 8 to 12 million Americans. The severity of this disease’s symptoms can range from intermittent claudication (trouble walking long distances due to discomfort in the calf, thigh or hip) to gangrene and tissue death due to the utter lack of circulation in the foot.

All of us medically-conscious folks know how heart attacks are caused – if we eat too many hamburgers, spend a few too many hours lounging around, have picked up the habit of smoking, or are just genetically unfortunate, our arteries begin to harden (atherosclerosis) and plaque builds up over time, blocking important circulation from getting to the heart.

The same thing happens in our legs for the same reasons! Our PAD Category refers to a wealth of online articles about this disease that affects not only Americans, but millions of people around the world. One that I found highly informative, especially if you’re just learning about PAD, is this one published in The Times of India.

Working for a company whose medical devices come to the aid of patients suffering from severe PAD has given me both knowledge and hope for those who have run out of reliable treatment options.

For National PAD Awareness, I encourage you to educate yourself on what causes PAD, what treatments are typically prescribed, and where to look when even surgical intervention is not possible.

Since 1998, ArtAssist®…the Arterial Assist Device has helped many patients avoid PAD-related amputation. Read about what a few of them have to say.

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Sep 3, 2012 By ArtAssist®...The Arterial Assist Device®, PAD

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

ArtAssist pneumatic compression device

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

ArtAssist pneumatic compression device

ArtAssist®…The Arterial Assist Device®

 

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Aug 30, 2012 By ArtAssist®...The Arterial Assist Device®, Diabetic Foot, PAD

Don’t wait around for insurance to save your leg! – Mark H. in Brattle Boro, VT

Mark has been using the ArtAssist® device for almost 15 years! We are also glad to report that his device has saved his left leg from amputation not once, but twice.

Here is Mark’s letter to us:

“Out of many therapies I tried to heal my ulcer, the ArtAssist device was clearly the most effective. Other treatments generally require a certain amount of circulation to the ulcer, while the ArtAssist device addresses the underlying problem by restoring the blood flow necessary for healing.
I quickly started renting the ArtAssist device and then worried about insurance. If I had waited for insurance approval, I’m convinced I would have lost my leg below the knee – a tremendous expense which they WOULD pay for!”
– Mark H., Brattle Boro, VT

We’re with you on the insurance issue, Mark! For years, ACI Medical has been working to get the ArtAssist® device reimbursed by Medicare and other health insurance providers as a treatment that’s WAY less expensive than amputation.

Clinical studies (including a randomized controlled trial) show that ArtAssist® device therapy is 86%-94% effective at preventing the amputation of limbs that are critically ischemic. This is because the ArtAssist® device was specifically designed to increase arterial blood flow to the lower extremities, providing the nutrients and oxygen necessary to promote healing.

The ArtAssist® device is especially useful for patients who, for some reason, cannot have bypass surgery to restore blood flow.

It is recommended that doctors prescribe ArtAssist® device therapy for their patients 1 hour TID for 90 days and send it along with their patients’ contact information to ACI Medical, where they can also talk to experts on Arterial Pump Technology:

Fax:  (760) 744-4401
Email:  info@acimedical.com
Toll Free:  (888) 453-4356

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Aug 25, 2012 By ArtAssist®...The Arterial Assist Device®

Regaining Mobility is No Longer a Pipe Dream! Donald’s ArtAssist® Device Experience

Diana’s note:  I’ve been digging around on the server lately for material I could use to add to this website. I came across two wonderful stories of patients whose lives were regained because they underwent ArtAssist® Device therapy. These people wished for their testimonials to be shared with others with the hope that anyone suffering from severe PAD would know that there’s one more hope before amputation.

Here is Donald’s letter to ACI Medical (identifying information has been omitted, but it is otherwise unabridged):

Email submission:

My wife and I rented the [ArtAssist® device] in June 2004. Between the time that we agreed to the rental, and the machine arriving at our home, I was placed in the hospital and subsequently had an amputation of the fourth toe on my right foot.

My first thank you is to the folks [at ACI] for their kindness and understanding, in adjusting the rental period, allowing me to get out of the hospital before starting the clock. The second thank you is for the extra cuffs that were provided to us when the original ones failed. Although you might not like to hear about your product failing, I was more than satisfied with the action we received from ACI.

Now, lets get to the real reason for my letter. In 2001, my blood flow in my lower legs was 62 in both legs. In 2004, that number dropped to 22 and 21, left and right respectively. Dr. ________ (my family doctor) had read about this apparatus [the ArtAssist® device] and suggested that I try the one he had gotten on loan from you. I did and as I mentioned above, then rented the device for three months and then purchased the machine.

I have been using this machine now for just over 6 months and had a Doppler test done last week. The results of which were beyond amazing. The normal number for a reasonably healthy individual is a percentage of blood pressure readings and would be 96 in both legs. My left leg is now 95, and my right leg is 91. Dr. ________ was as impressed as we were. I can’t begin to express my thanks for all you’ve done for me. I expect to be walking a golf course again this year. ONE YEAR AGO, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A PIPE DREAM!!!!!

Thank you again for all you’ve done, and I hope this letter will help convince others to at least try to turn back time.

Don, Ontario Canada

Stay tuned next week for another patient story of how an 83-year-old woman with foot pain and ulcers went from barely being able to put on a sock to taking walks around the block!

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Aug 11, 2012 By ArtAssist®...The Arterial Assist Device®, PAD

The Gift of Limb Salvage: Claire’s Experience with the ArtAssist® Device

“Try it! What do you have to lose except your leg! It’s worth it and there’s absolutely no pain!” – Claire T., Tucson, AZ

ArtAssist Arterial Assist Device

ArtAssist®…The Arterial Assist Device®

As I may have mentioned before, knowing that our product changed someone’s life for the better makes all of our work WORTH IT. Claire’s life as she knew it was about to take a turn for the worse, so when her doctors recommended she try the ArtAssist® Arterial Assist Device®, she jumped at the chance.

Claire and her daughter co-wrote our staff a wonderful letter, chronicling her entire experience:

 

Dear Don and Sylvia,
I am helping to write this letter with my mom (Claire T. / Tucson, Arizona) to give you a little documentation how the ArtAssistDevice has helped to save her leg. Here is the time sequence:

  • My mom had a cadaver artery put in her right leg in order to possibly save her leg. (Advanced PAD disease). This was in March of 2011.
  • In early August, the cadaver artery stopped working because the smaller arteries in my mom’s feet became too narrow. No more surgery could be done. She goes on Vicodin for the pain.
  • Later part of August 2011, Dr. Luis L mentioned that if he could get the device, would she be willing to try it in order to save her leg. She said “YES!”
  • Device arrives on September 6, 2011 and she immediately uses it for 1 hour /3 times a day / 7 days a week. A lot of pain in her right leg. She is sleeping very little because of pain by the end of the second week, there is remarkable improvement. She can walk without pain in her leg for short distances and sleeps for about 4 hours before the pain returns. By the first part of October, she starts to use the device for 4 times a day. We travel to Phoenix for her grandson’s wedding and she is able to attend! Pain in the leg has diminished quite a bit but there is still tingling in the foot and toes.
  • By December, she gets off of pain pills and only takes Tylenol.
  • By the first part of January, the tingling in her toes is gone. She drops the times using the device to 3 times a day.
  • By February, she is walking for about ½ mile every day for about 20 minutes.
  • In March, the Doppler from Dr. Michael L shows her blood flow in that leg has increased quite a bit. She cuts back on the number of times per day to 1 or 2.
  • In late March, she develops a small but deep ulcer on her toe on her right foot. It becomes infected. (Sorry No Pictures. It was too small to show up on my camera) Dr. L is concerned that he might have to amputate it. He tells her to use the machine. She goes back to using it 1 hour 3 times per day. The toe within 2 weeks has improved dramatically so amputation is not discussed any more.
  • In mid June, she has another Doppler. It shows more collaterals being made and something was said that an artery that was previously blocked is no longer and he could use it in a bypass if he had to! The ulcer still has a scab but no longer hurts her.
  • She is currently using the machine for 1 hour/ 3 times per day. She is able to walk ½ mile daily with minimal pain. The pain comes in her calf but only lasts for 1 or 2 minutes and then she starts walking again.
  • If it wasn’t for your machine, the doctors have said she would have lost her leg. We believe this. We have seen it. It is a wonderful gift.

Thank you also for the wonderful customer service. You were always such a big help.

Sincerely,
Claire T.
Evelyn F.

Big thanks to Claire and her daughter for sharing their uplifting story with us!

Claire T. has given this information freely and has been made aware of her rights to the content she has provided via written consent.

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Jun 27, 2012 By ArtAssist®...The Arterial Assist Device®

Why ArtAssist® arterial pump therapy is unique

When you think of therapeutic pneumatic compression pumps, what comes to mind? Many might think of lymphedema or DVT prophylaxes, but it is less widely-known that arterial pump compression therapy, if correctly applied, can actually treat severe PAD.

ArtAssist Arterial Assist Device

ArtAssist®…The Arterial Assist Device®

ArtAssist®…The Arterial Assist Device® (Arterial Pump Technology) should not be confused with lymphedema or DVT prevention treatment because the ArtAssist® device solves an entirely different problem:  facilitating arterial blood flow to the places that need it, especially in the legs and feet (there are also cuffs available for arms, though it is somewhat less common).

So, for example, if you have atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) of the lower extremity or a diabetic foot ulcer, your problems would not be solved with a lymphedema pump, even if it has been modified to be more powerful. (Side note:  some arterial pump makers advertise that a more powerful lymphedema or DVT pump will effectively treat arterial disease. We at ACI Medical suggest that you ask for their clinical evidence.)

Depending on the nature and severity of your arterial disease, you may be better advised to use the ArtAssist® device. This device was not based on a lymphedema or DVT pump design – rather, the ArtAssist® device was designed by vascular surgeons with the goal of increasing arterial flow for patients with poor leg circulation.

Researchers have discovered that, unlike lymphedema pump technology, the ArtAssist® device promotes what we call arteriogenesis, or collateralization.  These two synonyms refer to the opening of small collateral arteries that already naturally bypass the obstructed artery. We all have these small collateral arteries, but when the main artery has no blockages, the collateral ones aren’t needed.

angiogram van bemmelen artassist arterial pump technology

Arteriogenesis (or collateralization) explains why patients have long-term results after stopping ArtAssist® device usage

In this case, a person with a blocked artery needs to take action so that blood gets where it needs to be. Sometimes, people make lifestyle changes, such as dieting and exercising. Other times, people take medication to improve blood flow. And in more severe cases, people resort to surgery such as bypass and endovascular procedures (e.g. stenting, angioplasty, etc.).

The problem is that some people exhaust all of those options and vascular surgeons believe they have no other choice but to amputate – but that’s not true! There is actually one last shot at limb salvage for these patients, and that is the ArtAssist® device. In one clinical study, it was shown to have up to a 94% limb salvage rate even after 3.5 years.

Do be advised, though:  no one would ever recommend that you let it get to the point of amputation. As with all diseases, the earlier you solve the problem, the better.

If you or someone you know could use the ArtAssist® device as a non-surgical solution for PAD, please call our toll free number 888-453-4356 and ask to talk to Don or Sylvia. If you contact me (via WordPress, Twitter, Facebook, email, website, etc.), I will refer you to either of the two people I just mentioned as quickly as I can – we know how important limb salvage is.

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Jun 4, 2012 By ArtAssist®...The Arterial Assist Device®

He speaks! The inventor of the ArtAssist® device

Please enjoy this video of Ed Arkans, MEng (President of ACI Medical), as he gives you a brief overview of the device that successfully saves the limbs of non-surgical PAD patients:  ArtAssist®…the Arterial Assist Device®

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May 30, 2012 By ArtAssist®...The Arterial Assist Device®

Compressing the foot and why it’s so important

Why calf-only arterial pumps are missing out

ArtAssist device compression sequence

ArtAssist®…The Arterial Assist Device® Compression Sequence

Calf-only arterial pumps are missing a key component because foot compression is essential to improving circulation in the skin of the foot. Good circulation is vital to the successful healing wounds and ulcers. ACI Medical’s ArtAssist® device went through numerous clinical trials in order to optimize compression therapy for treating peripheral arterial disease of the legs and feet.

Researchers and engineers optimizing the ArtAssist® device not only discovered the importance of compressing the foot in addition to the calf, but they also designed this arterial pump technology to imitate the physiological act of walking as closely as possible.

A bit of background

An early study to determine the physiological effects of  intermittent pneumatic compression therapy focused compression on the calf, foot, and both simultaneously.

Although significant increase in arterial blood flow was recorded for individual compression areas, the simultaneous combination yielded disappointing results because blood was not flowing back to the heart as anticipated.

After the conclusion was drawn that simultaneous compression did not produce the desired augmented blood flow for all tissues below the knee, researchers realized that the answer lay in a time delay. Strong, encompassing foot and ankle compression that boosts foot skin perfusion would come first, followed then by calf compression to amplify popliteal flow.

That magical formulation

In essence, foot/ankle compression + calf compression with time delay = successful emptying of venous blood, resulting in improved circulation.

The optimization study led by K. T. Delis, et. al. determined that this foot, ankle and calf compression sequence, applying 120-140 mmHg at a frequency of 3-4 impulses per minute, “provided the optimum intermittent pneumatic stimulus.”

The next logical step was a prospective randomized controlled trial to solidify the efficacy claims.

And the rest is history…

One example of such a trial studied not only the effects of the previously mentioned IPC method, but also the long-term effects on treated claudicants. The results indicated that treated claudicants still retained their ABI’s and walking benefits one year after the end of IPC application.

Following the numerous physiological and optimization studies for the ArtAssist® device, research facilities continued to explore the possibilities of arteriogenesis, therapy for patients with intermittent claudication, and limb salvage.

The ArtAssist® device is currently the only IPC device with this thorough progression of clinical studies and randomized controlled trials to support its efficacy.

References

  1. “Improving Popliteal Artery Flow with Intermittent Pneumatic Foot and Calf Compression.” Delis, K.; Labropoulos, N.; Nicolaides, A.N.; Stansby, G.; and Lumley, J. Irvine Laboratory for Cardiovascular Investigation and Research, Academic Surgical Unit, Imperial College School of Medicine, St. Mary’s Hospital, London, UK.
  2. “Enhancing Venous Outflow in the Lower Limb with Intermittent Pneumatic Compression. A Comparative Haemodynamic Analysis on the Effect of Foot vs. Calf vs. Foot and Calf Compression.” Delis, K.T.; Slimani, G.; Hafez, H.M. and Nicolaides, A.N. Irvine Lab for Cardiovascular Investigation and Research, Academic Vascular Unit, Imperial College School of Medicine, St. Mary’s Hospital, London UK. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 19, 250-260; 2000
  3. “The Acute Effects of Intermittent Pneumatic Foot and Calf Compression on Popliteal Artery Hemodynamics: A Comparative Study.” Delis, K.T.; Nicolaides, A.N.; Labropoulos, N.; and Stansby, G. Imperial College School of Medicine, St. Mary’s Hospital, London, UK. J Vasc Surg, 2000; 32: 284-92
  4. “Intermittent Calf and Foot Compression Increases Lower Extremity Blood Flow.” Eze, A.R.; Comerota, A.J.; Cisek, P.L.; Holland, B.S.; Kerr, R.P.; Veeramasuneni, R.; Comerota, A.J. Jr. Presented at the 24th Annual meeting of the Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery; March 1996. Am J Surg 1996; 172:130-135
  5. “Optimum Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Stimulus for Lower-limb Venous Emptying.” Delis, K.T.; Azizi, A.A.; Stevens, R.J.G.; Wolfe, J.H.N.; Nicolaides, A.N. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 19, 261-269 (2000).
  6. “Improvement in Walking Ability, Ankle Pressure Indices and Quality of Life in Vascular Claudication Using Intermittent Pneumatic Foot and Calf Compression; A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial with 1 Year Follow-up.” Delis, K.T.; Nicolaides, A.N.; Cheshire, N.J.W.; and Wolfe, J.H.N. Academic Vascular Surgery, St. Mary’s Hospital, London, UK. Presented at the Vascular Surgical Society of Great Britain & Ireland, Nov. 2000, London Arena.
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May 25, 2012 By ArtAssist®...The Arterial Assist Device®

Challenge conventions. You may end up saving a limb!

Previously, I posted a whole article about how it’s actually not dangerous to use compression therapy on an ischemic limb. However, that’s not the only misconception that we’ve cleared up at ACI Medical. This article exposes a couple more myths that have been known to float around, and how we’ve found evidence to set the record straight.

Even after some experts dismissed the idea of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) as a viable treatment for patients with PAD, the creators and developers of the ArtAssist® device put their theories to the test nonetheless.

Pioneered and developed with vascular surgeons, the ArtAssist® device continues to be the leader in IPC therapy for non-surgical PAD patients with varying levels of severity.

ArtAssist® IPC therapy should not be overlooked or dismissed without having considered the clinical evidence:

in fact, it has both saved limbs and improved patient quality of life.

MYTH: Critically ischemic limbs are maximally vasodilated.

False.

In fact, the ArtAssist® device’s first physiological clinical trial disproves this myth. Even without having been optimized to the extent it is now, the prototype yielded results that suggested transient vasodilation.

Later, in 2005, a study conducted by Professor Labropoulos of SUNY not only confirms the earlier findings, but also suggests that increasing the arteriovenous pressure gradient with foot & calf IPC therapy contributes greatly to significantly increased blood flow in the subjects’ popliteal, gastrocnemial and collateral arteries. Skin blood flow also improved significantly in their findings.

MYTH: The ArtAssist® device is the same as any other arterial pump with similar function.

False.

We encourage you to ask yourself these two important questions when considering other devices which claim to perform as efficaciously as the ArtAssist® device:

1. Is it optimized for arterial disease? And

2. Is there clinical evidence and support for this specific device?

Only the ArtAssist® device satisfies each of these questions with its thorough progression of clinical studies: this device alone has been adjusted and optimized from its initial prototype over the past two decades to effectively treat even the most severe cases of PAD.

  • Physiological
  • Optimization
  • Intermittent Claudication
  • Limb Salvage
  • Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI)
  • Arteriogenesis (Collateralization)

Currently, studies are being conducted to explore the ArtAssist® device’s efficacy for adjunct therapies, such as stem cell treatment and gene expression.

The Bottom Line.

Your patient’s non-reconstructable limb will not wait for hearsay on this form of therapy.

We are here to let you know that therapy with the ArtAssist® device gives patients a dependable option that continues to help non-surgical limbs across the country.

Make the decision that could save your patient from amputation.

References

Augmentation of blood flow in limbs with occlusive arterial disease by intermittent calf compression. Van Bemmelen, P.S.; Mattos, M.A.; Faught, W.E.; Mansour, M.A.; Barkmeier, L.D.; Hodgson, K.J.; Ramsey, D.E.; and Sumner, D.S. Springfield, IL. Journal of Vascular Surgery 1994; 19:1052-8.

Hemodynamic effects of intermittent pneumatic compression in patients with critical limb ischemia. Labropoulos, N.; Leon, L.R.; Bhatti, A.; Melton, S.; Kang, S.S.; Mansour, A.M.; and Borge, M. The Department of Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL. Journal of Vascular Surgery, October 2005; Volume 42, Number 4: 710-716

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May 25, 2012 By ArtAssist®...The Arterial Assist Device®

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