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September 10, 2008
Marquette General Physician one of the first in Upper Peninsula to treat patients using the Diamondback 360 device
Interventional Radiologist Dr. Michael Ouimette, of the Interventional & Vascular Institute of Northern Michigan and on staff at Marquette General Health System, is one of the first physicians in the Upper Peninsula improving circulation in patients using a minimally invasive plaque-busting device. Called the Diamondback 360 Orbital Atherectomy System, the device helps those suffering from Peripheral Arterial Disease.
Common symptoms of PAD include leg pain when you walk and the pain stops when you rest; tingling, numbness or coldness in your feet or hands; and ulcers or sores on your feet or legs that won’t heal. Some people may experience no symptoms at all. According to the National Institutes of Health, 8 - 12 million Americans suffer from PAD, which develops when leg arteries become clogged with plaque – fatty deposits that limit blood flow. One in three people with diabetes who are older than age 50 are likely to have PAD, and one-quarter of all diabetic PAD patients will face poor circulation and the possibility of amputation.
Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in August 2007, the Diamondback 360 is the only FDA approved device available in the United States designed to treat PAD by removing plaque blockages in the legs and restoring blood flow, which improves the patient’s quality of life and saves limbs. The Diamondback 360 is one of many vascular options available at Marquette General Health System to customize care for patients.
How the new device works: the Diamondback 360 has a diamond dust-coated surface in the shape of a crown that points out towards the blocked artery. The base of the crown is attached to a drill, which spins the crown rapidly to shave away the blockage in the artery. The healthy tissues of the arterial wall aren't affected and remain undamaged.
The Interventional & Vascular Institute of Northern Michigan was founded in 2003, and is dedicated to providing innovative technology and superior patient care to the people of Northern Michigan. Located in Marquette, affiliated with and on the main campus of MGHS, the Institute employs Dr. Ouimette and director Dr. Christopher Mehall, who combined, have more than 35 years of experience treating PAD and other vascular diseases.
Board certified in radiology, Dr. Ouimette has been an interventional radiologist for 25 years and came to the Interventional & Vascular Institute of Northern Michigan in 2008 from Sparrow Health System in Lansing, where he practiced for the past 18 years.
Dr. Mehall is fellowship trained and board certified in the subspecialty of vascular and interventional radiology. Previously on staff at Wayne State University in Detroit, Dr. Mehall now serves as the director of Vascular & Interventional Radiology at MGH.
If you are experiencing symptoms of PAD, or have been diagnosed with PAD, please visit your primary care physician to discuss your vascular options. Marquette General offers a free PAD screening to individuals over the age of 70, or over 55 with diabetes or a history of smoking.
To schedule a free PAD screening, please call Marquette General Vascular Services at (866) 644-8272.
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