Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) is the first hospital in Kentucky to offer a new, advanced “arterial thrombectomy” device. This device, the Penumbra Lightning Bolt™ 7, was created to aid physicians in extracting blood clots quickly and efficiently from peripheral arteries. These types of blood clots oftentimes require invasive open surgery or can result in amputation. The minimally invasive Lightning Bolt™ 7 system uses a computer-aided clot detection technology that modulates aspiration, which is designed to speed up clot removal while leaving healthy blood circulating.
Al Addasi, MD, a Vascular/Endovascular Surgeon at the Heart and Vascular Institute of Eastern Kentucky at Pikeville Medical Center, was the first in Kentucky to utilize this advanced system. He performed this procedure on April 27th, and the patient was able to return home on the same day of the procedure.
“Patients with acutely blocked limb arteries have often had courses marred by high rates of amputation, surgical morbidity and even mortality,” said Dr. Addasi. “There are limited intervention options, but the Lightning Bolt 7 opens a new, minimally invasive therapeutic option for these patients, that does not require open surgery, can be performed in a single session, and can significantly improve patient outcomes, quality of life and recovery time.”
Lightning Bolt 7, cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), addresses conditions such as acute limb ischemia (ALI), hibernating thrombus and visceral occlusions. It is part of Penumbra’s Indigo® System with Lightning™ portfolio, which is the only computer-aided mechanical thrombectomy system currently available in the U.S. Since the availability of Lightning Bolt 7, recent data with the Indigo System have shown excellent 30-day limb salvage rates in more than 98% of patients, short procedure times with an average of 22 minutes and low 30-day mortality at 3%.
Because of PMC’s commitment to providing exceptional cardiac and endovascular care, patients no longer have to travel hundreds of miles for advanced treatment. The PMC Heart and Vascular Institute provides the region with comprehensive care through outstanding facilities, expert staff and cutting-edge technology.
To learn more about the comprehensive heart and vascular services offered at Pikeville Medical Center, including more information for valve patients about the process of being evaluated for Lightning Bolt, visit https://www.pikevillehospital.org/services/heart-and-vascular-institute/
