LOS ANGELES -- Imagine having your leg amputated and then finding out later that it was unnecessary.
Unfortunately that's happening to thousands of people. In fact, there are 88,000 non traumatic amputations in the United States every year.
That's 1 every 6 minutes... amputations that aren't the result of an accident or unavoidable industrial accident, but because of some kind of circulation problem or infection that could have been prevented!
Doctors at the LA Vascular Center are trying to heighten awareness that if you get checked out when symptoms occur, you could save your legs from being amputated.
Angiograms and angioplasty will keep doctors from having to cut your leg off, but many people don't know this and need to be educated.
56 year old John Bolden loves to take long strolls down the street. Walking on two legs was something he had taken for granted, until he almost lost one. That's because when John went to his doctor with pain in this calves when walking, Doctor Jack Rubin of the Los Angeles Vascular Center performed an angiobram on John and discovered he had poor blood circulation in his legs.
Dr. Rubin says once he had the studies, he was able to perform an angioplasty on John where he was able to open up the blood vessel in his leg and restore better circulation and improve blood flow. Unfortunately many people don't get to a doctor in time and left unchecked John would've had to have his leg amputated.
John says he was so surprised to find out he had no circulation in his legs. He thought that only happened to diabetics and he isn't diabetic.
It's true, diabetics are at risk for this condition, known as peripheral arterial disease, or PAD. But smokers are also at risk, along with the elderly and people with kidney disease.
Dr. Rubin says that he is trying to educate people and heighten awareness of the symptoms of PAD so that people can get help before they need an amputation. He says the symptoms to watch out for are cramping in the calves while walking or open sores or wounds on the legs or feet that don't heal. John says he's thankful for the doctors at LAVC. He says he hopes other people will similar symptoms will get help so they can hold onto their legs, just like John.
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For more information go to LAVC's website at www.lavascularcenter.com.
Or you can reach them at 310-674-9300.
Their address is 323 N. Prairie Ave. Suite 114. Inglewood, CA 90301
Unfortunately that's happening to thousands of people. In fact, there are 88,000 non traumatic amputations in the United States every year.
That's 1 every 6 minutes... amputations that aren't the result of an accident or unavoidable industrial accident, but because of some kind of circulation problem or infection that could have been prevented!
Doctors at the LA Vascular Center are trying to heighten awareness that if you get checked out when symptoms occur, you could save your legs from being amputated.
Angiograms and angioplasty will keep doctors from having to cut your leg off, but many people don't know this and need to be educated.
56 year old John Bolden loves to take long strolls down the street. Walking on two legs was something he had taken for granted, until he almost lost one. That's because when John went to his doctor with pain in this calves when walking, Doctor Jack Rubin of the Los Angeles Vascular Center performed an angiobram on John and discovered he had poor blood circulation in his legs.
Dr. Rubin says once he had the studies, he was able to perform an angioplasty on John where he was able to open up the blood vessel in his leg and restore better circulation and improve blood flow. Unfortunately many people don't get to a doctor in time and left unchecked John would've had to have his leg amputated.
John says he was so surprised to find out he had no circulation in his legs. He thought that only happened to diabetics and he isn't diabetic.
It's true, diabetics are at risk for this condition, known as peripheral arterial disease, or PAD. But smokers are also at risk, along with the elderly and people with kidney disease.
Dr. Rubin says that he is trying to educate people and heighten awareness of the symptoms of PAD so that people can get help before they need an amputation. He says the symptoms to watch out for are cramping in the calves while walking or open sores or wounds on the legs or feet that don't heal. John says he's thankful for the doctors at LAVC. He says he hopes other people will similar symptoms will get help so they can hold onto their legs, just like John.
----
For more information go to LAVC's website at www.lavascularcenter.com.
Or you can reach them at 310-674-9300.
Their address is 323 N. Prairie Ave. Suite 114. Inglewood, CA 90301
