Patient Nguyen Thanh (name changed, 89 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) was admitted to the hospital in a state of severe pain in his right leg, severe limb ischemia and toe necrosis. According to the family, the symptoms appeared about a month ago, but the patient was treated at home and through many different specialties, so he came to the hospital late. When admitted, the patient showed signs of infection, severe pain, seriously affecting daily life and quality of life.
After evaluation, doctors performed blood vessel recirculation intervention to improve circulation. After treatment, the pain condition decreased significantly, the damaged area recovered well, and the patient gradually improved mobility and health.
Another case is patient Hoang Phuong (name changed, 71 years old, Ho Chi Minh City), with many underlying diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke sequelae and peripheral vascular disease. The patient was hospitalized due to prolonged back pain in both legs. CT scan results recorded widespread stenosis of multiple layers of arteries, most severe in the superficial femoral artery. After being drilled to remove atherosclerosis patches with laser combined with vasodilation with drug-coated balloons, blood flow returned. The patient could stand up and function normally on the same day as intervention.
According to Dr. Nguyen Duy Tan - Head of Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgery Department, Thong Nhat Hospital HCMC, atherosclerosis artery stenosis is increasingly common, especially in the elderly and patients with underlying diseases such as diabetes, hypertension or kidney failure. This is a systemic disease that can affect the heart, brain, kidneys and lower extremities, causing serious complications if not treated promptly.
Previously, the main treatment methods were bypass surgery or intravascular stent placement. However, these methods have limitations such as high risk of reestenosis, difficulty handling complex lesions or severe calcification. Recently, intravascular laser technique has been deployed as a new solution, helping to break atherosclerotic plaques and re-circulate blood more effectively.
The principle of this technique is to use laser energy inserted into the lumen to break the atherosclerosis and calcification plaques, thereby restoring the flow. This method is particularly effective for long, multi-layered or severe calcification lesions. In addition, doctors can combine balloon dilation or stent placement to optimize treatment effectiveness.
The outstanding advantage of laser technique is that it is minimally invasive, only local anesthesia, and patients remain alert throughout the intervention process. The average implementation time is 1-2 hours, patients recover quickly and shorten hospital stay. In cases that are not too complicated, patients can be discharged after 1-2 days, instead of having to stay in the hospital for about two weeks as before.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Dinh Thanh - Director of Thong Nhat Hospital HCMC, the deployment of laser technology is an important step forward in the treatment of vascular diseases. The new technique uses specialized equipment with small conductors, helping to intervene more gently, reduce complications and shorten treatment time.
Although the initial cost may be higher than some traditional methods, long-term effectiveness helps reduce the cost of treating complications, recurrence and care time. In addition, co-payment health insurance also helps reduce the financial burden for patients.
According to experts, the application of laser technology in the treatment of arteriosclerosis not only improves professional efficiency but also contributes to improving the quality of life for patients, especially in the context of aging population and increasing vascular diseases.
