Northeast Baptist Hospital is the first hospital in San Antonio to perform a new procedure to treat patients with complex lower-extremity Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). This was San Antonio’s first successful Percutaneous Transmural Arterial Bypass (PTAB) with the DETOUR System.

The DETOUR System earned Breakthrough Device Designation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2020 and received approval from the FDA in June 2023. It is designed specifically for patients with severe PAD in the superficial femoral artery (SFA). These patients include those who have long obstructions in the SFA, those with previously failed endovascular procedures, and those who may not be good candidates for surgical bypass.

PAD affects about 8.5 million adults over the age of 40 in the U.S. It is the narrowing of the arteries that carry blood away from the heart to other parts of the body. The most common type is lower-extremity PAD, in which blood flow to the legs and feet is diminished. Left untreated, PAD may increase a person’s risk for coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke. Those with Type 2 diabetes and PAD are at an increased risk for losing a limb.