UAB Department of Surgery Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy Assistant Professor and Vascular Surgery Integrated Residency Associate Program Director,  Danielle Sutzko, M.D., M.S. joins UAB MedCast to discuss chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI).

Patients with CLTI have the most severe form of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and experience poor blood flow to their legs causing pain during rest or tissue loss. Sutzko explains how these patients can develop lower extremity wounds on their feet.

“A lot of times when you have chronic limb-threatening ischemia it really depends on the anatomy of where the blockages are—to determine the procedure that we go for,” says Sutzko.

Sutzko goes on to cite that often patients seen in the emergency room with CLTI could have been prevented if diagnosed earlier and seen by a vascular surgeon. 

“We know a little bit more about the natural history of peripheral arterial disease in the way that if a patient only has claudication, or more mild PAD, we’re more likely to treat them with optimal medical management including cholesterol agents, coaching on smoking cessation and starting them on an exercise program,” says Sutzko.

Click here to listen to the full episode.