Renowned MSU Health Care “Plumber for the Body” Treats Vascular Disease in the Lansing Area

<p>What is vascular disease?</p><p>“Most people are familiar with heart disease and with the consequences of blockages in the vessels that carry blood to and from the heart,” says Lin. “One of the most recognized vascular diseases is abdominal aortic aneurysm, which is an enlargement of a bulge that develops in a weakened area within the aorta in the abdomen. These pressures then generate with each heartbeat that pushes against the aneurysm and it tends to enlarge. If the aneurysm weakens it can rupture. Typically, we want to monitor it and repair it with surgery if it becomes large enough before it bursts.</p><p>“We also take care of carotid artery disease, which can cause stroke. Carotid disease occurs when the main blood vessels to the brain develop plaque or hardening of the artery. These build up then can become very severe and lead to stroke, which damages part of the brain. In fact, 80 percent of strokes are ischemic strokes where parts of the circulation to the brain are cut off, usually due to blockage in the carotid artery. It is the third leading cause of death in the U.S.</p><p>“Another very common vascular disease is peripheral arterial disease. This happens when there's hardening of the artery in the legs. Essentially, there's blood flow that's reduced to the limbs and it can cause complete blockage in the legs. Early on, people may have difficulty walking. They get cramping pain, and eventually if it gets really bad they may get foot ulcers, infections, and even gangrene that can lead to amputation. People with PADs are more likely to get heart attacks and strokes.</p><p>“Another vascular disease is varicose veins, which a lot of patients have. You can notice the bulging veins in the leg, which then returns the blood back to the heart and it causes heavy aching, throbbing, and itching. Some of the more serious vascular diseases are blood clots or deep vein thrombosis. Deep thrombosis can cause leg swelling and pain. DVT in the blood clot in the leg can travel into the lungs causing pulmona