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Arterial Disease No Longer Cramps This Man's Style
After successful treatment for a blockage in his artery, a Wall resident is once again strolling down
the boardwalk.
Software engineer Jeffrey Kusy is not
one to sit around. The 51-year-old
Wall resident walks regularly on the
boardwalk in Spring Lake. So last summer,
it became apparent something was wrong
when he suddenly went from being able
to walk four miles without stopping to having
to sit down frequently to rest. "I'd walk
exactly 120 paces and my left calf would
cramp up like someone had grabbed it and
was squeezing it hard," recalls Jeff. "I'd sit
and massage my calf for a while before
I resumed walking. Then I'd walk a ways
and it would happen again."
Concerned, Jeff did online research
and found David Pinnelas, M.D., a board
certified cardiovascular disease specialist
with Shore Heart Group, who is affiliated
with Jersey Shore University Medical
Center. Dr. Pinnelas performed a test that
revealed Jeff had peripheral arterial disease
(PAD) — poor blood flow caused by
a buildup of plaque inside the arteries.
"I was given a CD of the test images, and
I could clearly see where the blockage
was in my mid-thigh," says Jeff.
As luck would have it, Renato Apolito,
M.D., had recently joined the Shore
Heart practice after completing his training
at Columbia Presbyterian and New
York University hospitals. Dr. Apolito's
knowledge of advanced techniques to
treat PAD made for a seamless transition
from diagnosis to treatment. In October,
Jeff underwent a procedure called a percutaneous
transluminal angioplasty (PTA)
and a stent placement. "A thin wire was
inserted into Jeff's artery and a small balloon attached to the wire was inflated to
open the artery," says Dr. Apolito. "Then a
stent — a hollow cylindrical mesh — was
inserted to keep the artery open."
Dr. Apolito explains that to correct PAD
traditionally, a bypass is required — a
major surgery with a lot of risk. The PTA
procedure is far less risky and invasive,
requiring only a tiny incision and mild
sedation, and resulting in a faster recovery.
"Dr. Apolito told me I'd feel immediate
relief as soon as the procedure was done,"
says Jeff. And that proved very true. Jeff
underwent surgery on Thursday, started
walking again on Saturday, and went back
to work on Monday.
 – Diane Gribbin
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Risk factors for PAD include being
older than age 40, having heart
disease or a family history of heart
disease, and being African-American.
But while you can't change your family
history, age, or ethnicity, there are
some steps that can help you boost
your odds against PAD:
- Don't smoke. Smoking is the most important risk factor for PAD.
- Control diabetes, high blood pressure,
and high cholesterol, if you
have any of these conditions.
Regular exercise and a heart-healthy
diet can help prevent and manage
all three of these problems.
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