Davis Vein & Vascular offering new limb-saving procedure for patients facing amputation

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX)- This segment on The Three was paid for and sponsored by Davis Vein & Vascular.

Davis Vein & Vascular is now offering a procedure aimed at saving the limbs of patients who have been told amputation is their only remaining option.

Dr. John Davis said the practice specializes in limb salvage — treating patients with poor circulation who need revascularization to improve blood flow to the lower extremities.

The procedure, called Limflow, is designed for patients with critical limb ischemia who have exhausted all other treatment options, including bypasses and other interventions performed at the office-based lab.

“Those patients are going to wind up with high-level amputations, unfortunately, either a below-the-knee or an above-the-knee amputation,” Davis said. “And when that happens, that’s a very difficult, obviously, scarring procedure to recover from.”

Davis said LimFlow works by rerouting blood from arteries in the foot — which have been compromised by disease — into the venous system. Oxygenated blood is then pushed down to the capillary bed, allowing gas exchange and oxygenation to reach tissue so wounds can heal.

Davis said patients who have been told amputation is their only option and have not been informed about LimFlow should consider seeking a consultation.

“If somebody tells them that there’s no other option and they need an amputation and they haven’t been discussed the procedure called limb flow, I would encourage them to come see us,” Davis said. “If it’s not being offered, then they’re not getting all of the possibilities they can to save the limb.”

Davis said the procedure has been performed across the country for the past two years and that results at his practice have been positive.