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Complications from Femoral (Leg) Catheterization, Angiogram or Angioplasty

(2005-earlier archive)

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Comments about nerve damage and/or other complications from the femoral (groin) puncture site that is made during an angiogram or angioplasty.

Other postings can be found here: current, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006.

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Archived Postings from 2005 and Earlier on This Page (93):

• I had a heart cath on Dec. 23,2005 and I have been hurting daily since then. My groin area turned black & blue. I ended up at the emergency room on Christmas Eve because I was in so much pain. I was only given pain pills and sent home. My doctor that did the procedure is sending me for an Ultra sound on tomorrow (Dec. 29). I can't stand any more than 1 hr. without severe pain, I haven't been able to drive, I can't tire or fasten my right shoe, it takes a long time to turn over in bed, I need help getting in and out of a vehicle, and I an experiencing tremor and something similar to muscle spasm, pain in my legs, groin area, both sides and lower stomach. My groin area is badly discolored. Please let me hear from someone so I can know what to do. My entire Christmas was ruined.
Shirley Howze, Blair, S.C. 29015, December 28, 2005

• My husband has had 4 angiograms in the groin over the last few years the first two not successful the third one to unblock the artery again when the surgeon jammed the wire across in the left groin, the last one a bypass in the right leg . Since then he is in constant pain in the left leg and has been diagnosed with a damaged nerve he walks with a walking stick all the time and on bad days with two. He is now trying Gabapentin a nerve pain killer which after two and a half weeks do`se not seem to be helping. Any suggestions.
Dilys, Australia, December 25, 2005

• Now I'm terrified. I am a 39 year old female. I had an angiogram done this past Thursday and was sent home on Friday. Two hours later I was back at the hospital and underwent emergency surgery to repair a "nicked femoral artery". I spent two more days in the hospital - I'm home for 2 days now and I'm still in tremendous pain. I think I'm in some serious trouble having read the information in this site. Unfortunately I didn't have an opportunity to research this subject prior to having the angiogram. by the way, there was no blockage to my arteries. what a joke. any information to share would be appreciated.
Daria, Long Beach New York, December 20, 2005

• There is a tiny incidence of complications after femoral arteriography if performed correctly. Nerve pain is rare.
MD, interventional radiology, USA, December 11, 2005

• My father has had continued groin pain 5 months following angioplasty. His doctor has told him these things take time to heal but from my reading this seems excessive. What sorts of questions should he ask or diagnostic procedures should he request to find a solution.
John Parkin, Calgary Alberta, December 04, 2005

• Dear Editor, thank you very much for your prompt response. Am taking my dad to see his cardiologist tomorrow. Hopefully he will have an answer for us. By the way, this is a GREAT forum. At least I dont feel so lost and am less scared knowing that there are others out there who have or are experiencing the same thing. Thank you
Peggie, Malaysia, December 04, 2005

• Peggie -- you said "right arm". Was the catheter inserted in his radial (wrist artery) or was an incision made in his brachial artery (inner elbow)? Both could be considered "arm". In any case, his reaction should certainly be reported to his doctor. It may be an allergic reaction to a drug he is taking, but it could be many things. Peripheral artery disease is a chronic condition, the same process that causes coronary disease, just in a different place. The fact that this burning is happening just shortly after a procedure would certainly focus attention on that, as you've indicated. There might be an infection at the site. But no one on the internet can tell you what it is. Definitely report this to your cardiologist -- it's an adverse reaction to something and should be taken care of. And let us know how things turn out.
Angioplasty.Org Staff, Angioplasty.Org, December 3, 2005

• Hi, my father just had an angiogram about 2 weeks ago. About 1 week after the angiogram he started experiencing burning pain throughout his body especially on the right arm which the angiogram was performed on. After reading this forum, I suspect it could be Peripheral Artery Disease. What are the cures for this disease? Physiotherapy? What should we do now? Go back to the cardiologist who performed the angiogram? What if he denied that he was the cause of it?
Peggie, Malaysia, December 03, 2005

• LuAnn -- thank you for the extensive and precise description of your experience. And also for your understanding concluding remarks on this whole area. Vascular complications are a fact of life in the field of catheter-based procedures. A study, published in the June 21 2005 issue (vol. 45) of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology by Dr. Tony M. Chou, called "Vascular Complications and Arteriotomy Closure Devices During Percutaneous Coronary Procedures" points out that the across-the-board complication rate for these procedures is around 3.5%. Although it was thought that vascular closure devices would bring this down, that has not been totally borne out (although AngioSeal in some studies show a slightly lower rate). The problem is in the initial needle stick -- if it isn't optimal, it opens the door for complications later on, no matter what closure method is used. There is some hope that a new device from Abbott, called StarClose, may reduce the complications -- but it's still awaiting approval and even then it will be a while before results can be determined. Meanwhile, patients should follow your advice and pursue finding a solution if they are experiencing problems after a week or so (there IS an initial period of healing that's necessary, and everyone heals a bit differently). Thanks again for sharing your story.
Angioplasty.Org Staff, Angioplasty.Org, November 30, 2005

• I wrote in on Oct. 1st about having a burning pain sensation and fatigue in my right leg after an angiogram. I decided to try and tough things out but I couldn't walk 1/2 block without stopping and resting my leg. Any surface with an incline or waking up steps caused increased burning and pain. I began reading about PAD Peripheral Artery Disease and realized that I was experiencing claudication. The pain usually went away when I sat or laid down until recently. Everything I read on PAD stated that most people do not realize they have it and pain is usually a very late symtom. Armed with this information and putting up with the pain for a full month, I went back to my cardiologist. He kind of placated me and said that they bothered nerves and things in there and sometimes it takes a couple of months to settle down. He asked when the symptoms started and I told him almost immediately after the angiogram. I did not accuse him of wrong doing, I just stated that is when the pain started. He became defensive and said they couldn't have caused that and just told me to exercise (I can't even walk) and it would go away eventually. Well, my mother had an angiogram a few months prior and she ended up with a pseudo-anurism. I mentioned this to the Dr. and finally to put my mind at ease he put his stethescope up to my femoral artery. Apparently he heard an abnormality because the next thing I knew, I was in tow across the hall for an ultrasound. The ultrasound showed nothing but the technician noticed something and performed an ABI which consisted of doing blood pressures in both arms and ankles at the same time. The results of this showed that I had only 50% of my blood flow to my right leg. I asked the technician if this was significant and he said "Oh yeah, it's significant." He sent me back across the hall to my cardiologist who set me up for an MRA (like an MRI only of the arteries). They put contrast dye into my vein and did the MRA. When I got the results it showed I had stenosis and occlusion of my renal artery which would have been bad, except I'm lucky enough to have been born with two right renal arteries and the other one is fine. The main thing that was discovered is I have a femoral artery dissection. While I was waiting for the results of all the testing, I have 2 toes that have gone numb all of the time and when I wear shoes all but my big toe goes numb. When I called my Dr. for the results of the MRA I mentioned the numbness in my toes. My cardiologist put me on Plavix every day and if my leg still hurts in 6 weeks come back and they will do the ABI again. Being an RN this information did not sit well with me. I felt like I was getting the brush off--like the Dr. knew my artery was injured during the angiogram but he wasn't willing to admit to it. It was like they hoped I would go away. It worked, I called my insurance company and talked to their patient advocate and told her I was not comfortable with what was being done and I wanted to see another Dr. They set me up with a vascular specialist who practices 50 miles away but his clinic of 4 Dr. are the only ones in Northern Utah. It took me 3 weeks to get in and they would not accept me as a patient until they saw my reports to see if I really needed to be seen by them. As soon as they got the reports they called me and set up an appointment.

Today, I went in for my appointment and guess what? It is a big deal. I do have a dissected femoral artery most likely from the angiogram. Though it's not an emergency the specialist felt this was something that needed to be fixed soon. In my reading I found that they can stent the arteries and open them up with a balloon, much like cardiac arteries but, because the location is in the bend of my leg that was not an option. I am now scheduled for surgery on Dec. 13th for a graft and probably bypass. Because the artery is so big in diameter they can't use one of my saphenous (other leg) arteries so they are going to use artificial materials to repair everything. This is like an out patient surgery except the Dr. wants to keep me in the hospital over night for observation.

The moral of this story is. You know your body. If you think that what you are being told is not right, question it. So many times we don't want to question or make trouble with our Dr.'s but we give them too much power. I felt like my problems were being pushed under the carpet because they didn't want to admit to wrong doing. That wasn't the problem. I knew the risks going into the angiogram and yes complications occur and I understand and accept that, but if a problem develops let's at least fix it before more damaging or life threatening things happen. I could have lost a leg over this if I were to have an open injury to my leg that got infected. With the 50% decrease in circulation the tissue could have become necrotic and spread. This would be an extreme but it does happen. I asked the specialist if this would have gone away on it's own and he stated, "absolutely not." I hope this experience might help some of you to seek more help if you think you need it. In the same breath, we all need to stop being so sue happy so that our Dr.'s don't feel so defensive when unexpected problems occur.
LuAnn Thirkill, Ogden, Utah, November 30, 2005

• I had a heart cath done November 9, 2005 which ended up in them trying to stop excessive bleeding which resulted from manual compressions. They must have done something wrong because I was bleeding terribly. I told them I had severe pain in my back and I was clammy & losing consciousness. They flooded me with saline and brought my BP back up. They got the bleeding stopped after hours. I then was sent to cat scan to see how much damage was done to the artery. they had surgeons on standby and 2 bags of blood. I was scared to death. I now hurt so bad with the pain in my groin due to manual compressions to stop the bleeding. Also have back & leg pain. I am NOT able to do steps. I am having trouble now with my groin now. I am in alot of pain from all of this. I cannot bend over to tie my shoes. It feels like the muscle won't stretch or something. I was wondering if I have femoral nerve damage. I hope it will work out but after reading all of the problems I read, it doesn't sound like it will. If anyone wants to e-mail me about this my e-mail address is ajgreeneyez@hotmail.com
Andrea Guyton, Hubbard Ohio, November 17, 2005

• I had a heart attack in may 2003 went to the emergency room near by, next day transferred to another hospital where two stents were placed in the left artery through the right femoral artery. pressure was applied to the site because of extensive bleeding for about 45-60 mins. result pain and bruising. 30 days later another stent was placed in the right side of the heart again through the right femerol artery, this time a seal was placed in the arery because of past bleeding episode, very painful.. Six months or so later my cardiologist told me my stress test pictures looked suspecious and that i needed a angiogram. I was totally awake and aware of the procedure, the Dr. had trouble entering the right femerol artery and said it was blocked with scar tissue and proceeded to enter the left side where he had difficulty because the artery rolled or moved.After being"poked" on both sides several times I told him how much it hurt and they immediately gave me a little more "pain med. The stenting experience was not too bad but this was awful. i could not stand up to leave the hospital and was in intense pain. My right leg swelled badly. This happened over a year ago. I now have pain in the right groin, back and hip. I believe it is nerve damage as a result of these three procedures. i was told again less than 3 mos. ago i needed another angiogram because of the questionable results of a ultra-sound, my reply" no, I do not have any symptoms.
maureen jergins, clermont, florida, November 16, 2005

• Electrophysiology study two weeks ago yesterday. Three insertions in groing two on one side one on the other. In recovery developed burning sensation in side of thighs running down to the knee. Since, the cardiologist has refused any connection. I have since met with my internist. We started with an antiinflamatory for possible hip inflammation(bursitis) I started a cortosteroid yesterday and nerve conduction study and have scheduled an MRI for Friday. Only coming across this website am I indeed suspicious over the caths. This was my third ep study and first time with this reaction. After I stand for awhile th pain can be excruciating (maddening) I can't stand still, I do find relief in sitting. Sometimes in addition to the numbness/burning sensation I get a stabbing pain. Appreciate any ideas out there and the parallels of possible nerve damage from the caths.
john sherry, cincinnati ohio, November 10, 2005

• Never realized so many people had comlications from heart catheterization and other procedures requiring groin incisions. Middle of 2004 I had a heart catheterization. No real problems directly after the procedure, but about a month later I began to have numbness in my upper right thigh (in front) after standing or walking for a time. If I try to ignor it a burning pain in the thigh will start. All I have to do to releive it is to sit, or prop my right leg up on a bar or step, for a few minutes and it will disappear for while. I'm not sure if this is from the catheter procedure, the Laminectomy I had on L5 4 years ago, or the Zocor I take. Anyone have a silimalr problem????
Bob Kellum, Kissimmee, FL, November 07, 2005

• Hello, I just had a heart cath in September. On October 7 the following month I was back in the hospital with a heart rate of 198. They admitted me because I was just there after a light heart attack. They wanted another heart cath done and I agreed to it. This time they started on the sme side of my groin as they did the first time, then ended up by going on the other side. As soon as I got back to my room I could feel a knot and pain in my left side stomach area and the pain kept getting worse. The doctor didn't know what it was and called the cath surgeon who tol him it was common, to apply pressure and it would take care of itself. They put an elastic bandage around me with a towel on the area that got real hard to the touch to top the internal bleeding. They checked my blood about every 6 hours to make sure the bleeding stopped then sent me home. I can hardly walk. I can't sleep on my sides or stomach and my back is killing me. The hemotoma hurts like the devil and now I have bruising on my side. Is there any relief for the pain? Does a heating pad help? the hospital sent me home not telling me how to treat the hematoma. I pray they didn't cause any nerve damage. I actually went in the hospital better than I came out which isn't right. Will this really go away. I read some post that scare me.
Steve, San Bernardino, CA, October 15, 2005

• I had an angiogram done 3 days ago, but also had it done 9 yrs ago and subsequent angioplasty on a 90% blocked artery, therefore, I am was well aware of this procedure before the one I had last Monday. However, I drew the short straw and got a young trainee! The initial pain for the catheter was unbelievable, followed by what I can only describe as 8 heart attacks, until I screamed out in excrutiating pain as I thought I was going to die. When they transferred me to a bed next to the op. table I was unable to speak or move my left limbs, my arms fell off the bed so the nurses just threw them over my chest! Horrendous! I thought I had ended up with a stroke. Has anyone else experienced this tremendous pain 8 times during an angiogramme? They told me it was a 3rd heartbeat, but this felt more like my heart was being put through a wringer than a heartbeat! Leg is healing, although couldn't have the plug coz she made more than one entry!I am desperate to find out if the pain I went through this time is normal, I don't think so somehow! Would appreciate hearing from anybody who had severe pain with it like I did, as they won't tell me anything - obviously! Thnks
Helen Dadswell, U.K., October 12, 2005

• I am a physician board certified in anesthesiology. In the past two days I have encountered three patients with chronic groin and hip pain following cardiac cath procedures. Are there any published articles on the frequency of this occurrence?
david, arizona, October 5, 2005

• Weldon -- have you discussed this situation (below) with the cardiologist who did the procedure? If so, what were his/her thoughts? If your wife had a collagen plug, what brand was it? You might want to check our thread on those devices as well. Again, however, we must emphasize that a medical professional needs to make this call -- that being said, if your wife is experiencing "horrible" calf and groin pain post-procedure, she should be examined and this should be dealt with.
Angioplasty.Org Staff, Angioplasty.Org, October 3, 2005

• My wife had the procedure 2 weeks ago. She is having horrible calf and groin pain. Nothing seems to help. Is it nerve damage, or id the collagen plug causing complications?
Weldon Perkins, Belen, NM , October 2, 2005

• LuAnn -- several posters below have mentioned that this pain or weakness often follows a femoral puncture, but goes away after a few days. If you still are having problems in a week, call your doctor. It may be nothing, but it couldn't hurt to let him/her know. Also keep us posted. What patients find out can help other patients.
Angioplasty.Org Staff, Angioplasty.Org, October 2, 2005

• I Had an angiogram 3 days ago. I have practically no bruising and no groin pain but when I walk my right leg gets so tired and uncomfortable I have to stop every so often. I can only do 6-7 stairs without stopping and resting my leg which takes several minutes to recover so I can continue. My left leg could walk for miles. I don't feel pain or pressure--just an extreme fatigue feeling. Has anyone else experienced this side effect and how long did it take to subside? I'm walking funny to compensate for the fatique in my right leg and my left leg is having pain because it's not used to the compensating movements of the right leg.
LuAnn Thirkill, Ogden, Utah, USA October 1, 2005

• I had a heart cath on i/14/05 was released 6 hours after procedure was not told of how cath was closed not given any real instructions. Well the next day I had terrible pain and blood filling up my thigh. The following day the blood filled to my knee. Well I went to the E.R. was told it was a pseudaneurysm right femoral artery. I have seen the doctors twice since discharged told them I still experience the burning and trobbing pain. Noone seems to be bothered by these complaints. I'm only 44 so I find these complaints vaild and alarming. How long is it until it heals? Anyone have any suggestions or answers.
Sue, Florida, September 25, 2005

• My father recently underwent an arteriogram following a stroke to determine specific location and size of occluded carotid artery prior to right carotid endarterectomy. My father passed later the same day as the arteriogram. I am a nurse (with a cardiac background) and it appeared to me that he died from a pulmonary embolism. A vasoseal/angioseal was not used during the procedure however due to bleeding complications, a femstop external device was placed to help control the bleeding. He had actually stopped bleeding approx 1 1/2 hours prior to the device being applied but the surgeon felt it was necessary. I now question whether the device occluded his right femoral artery causing a DVT to develop and that is where the pulmonary embolism developed from?? I have many questions and I feel responsible for not recognizing or asking those questions up front. My Dad had cardiac caths and so has my Mom, both of whom the vasoseal/angioseal devices were used with virtually no problems. My Dad died almost instantaneously after a simple complaint of left lower chest pain beneath the left rib cage and then simply saying, " I can't breathe". Thank God for his mercy, but where does that leave us, my mom. my sister and myself. I welcome any input from physicians as to the probable cause of the pulmonary embolism. WE are at a loss...
Angie, Louisville, Kentucky, September 22, 2005

• I too had an angiogram in April of 2005 and since then, I have been subjected to severe pain in the groin and the right leg. I followed everything they told me to do after the procedure and now I am in pain day and night. In 2000 I ran the Chicago Marathon, now I can hardly bend to put my shoes on. The pain radiates from the groin to the back and the leg. Sometimes I feel that this should be reported to the FDA and patients like us need to be compensated for the pain they are enduring everyday. The procedure was extremely expensive and all I got is pain and a piece of paper fom the Cardiologist telling me everything was fine. I don't beleive I needed an angiogram, but they forced me to have one because of chest problems. I thought I was the only one experiencing this constant pain. I have trouble standing for prolonged periods and jogging which was my number one activity is almost impossible. Nina from Chicago
Nina Indris, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, USA 60195, September 21, 2005

• I TOO HAD ANGIOPLASTY AND SINCE THEN HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH MY RIGHT HIP AND GROIN AREA. IT IS NOT CONSTANT BUT SPORATIC. I GET PAIN IN THE RIGHT GROIN AND THEN MY LEG GIVES OUT , NOT HOLDING ANY WEIGHT. THE PAIN IS NOW STARTING TO GO INTO MY LOWER BACK, ABURNING PAIN. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR THREE YEARS NOW. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE CARDIOLOGIST ABOUT THIS, HE SAID IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO BE FROM THE ANGIOPLASTY. NOW I LIVE WITH THE PAIN AND THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY DUE TO THE LEG GIVING OUT. ANY ONE HAVE ANY TREATMENT FOR THIS PLEASE ANSWER..
JOANN EKDAHL, HANCOCK, MICHIGAN, September 14, 2005

• I had a cardiac cath 3 weeks ago with the pressure closing. No problems but the last few days I am having pain in my groin in the area where the incision was made and in the top of that leg. Can complications set in this late?
Jan Hanbury, Anniston, Alabama, September 14, 2005

• I had a heart cath nearly 2 months ago and am experienceing chronic pain in my groin near the site of the needle puncture as well as some pain across my groin to the other side. I have been to numerous doctors with no answers as to why I am feeling this pain. My cardiologist thinks there was some "irritation" to the femoral sheath where artery, vein, and nerve are located, caused by the needle puncture. He thinks it will go away. I have problems with activity, especially twisting and turning (sweeping the floor)which causes the pain to increase. Lying still and walking or sitting are not big problems. I take Advil often to diminish the pain. I am hoping the pain will go away in time but am concerned that it won't. I must have damage to the artery wall or nerve caused by the procedure. My cardiologist says he has never had a patient with this problem.
Rita, Omaha, Nebraska, September 12, 2005

• Could someone tell me if there are any instances of permanent femoral nerve injury from angioplasty or arterialgrams? I am a 44 year old woman who this was performed on each side of my groin 23 years ago while I was in the military, as a tool to diagnose a bowel obstruction. I had a severe reaction to the contrast dye used and had what I can only discribe as seizures each time they injected me. They had a difficult time stopping the bleeding, and I have had problems with my legs and hips every since. Currently I have such severe nerve pain that I can barely walk to and from my office each day, but I need to know how this happened. My father who had the procedure several years later had the same problems. Has anyone ever heard of this type of reaction, can you tell me where to look for information on it?
Danita L Cronkhite, Cedar Creek, Texas 78612, USA, September 12, 2005

• I had one stent put into my left anterior descending coronary artery on August 12th. After the stenting I had a massive hematoma that went as far as my scrutum. The pain of this hematoma permitted me to walk only occasionally for the first 2 and 1/2 weeks post-procedure. Since becoming more ambulatory I have noticed a rapid (115 bpm) pulse while standing- normal while sitting, and in addition premature heartbeats also while standing and when I go from a standing position to a sitting or prone position. I am slightly SOB when they occur. The rapid pulse was remedied by using Toprol XL 50 mg, but the premature heartbeats remain. Occasionally I have a pain in my left chest which seems to be relieved by Advil. It also comes on when I go from a standing position to sitting or prone position and then goes away. Come to think of it I would be allright if I could stand all of the time. Has anyone had some of the same symptoms?
Richard F. Dods, Ph.D., Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Aurora, IL, Ph.D. (rdods@att.net) on Sunday, September 11, 2005

• i was told from a stress test that i had a heart attack and needed an angiogram to see how extensive the damage was...i was told it was a simple proceedure and i was frankly so scared from the news that everything was a blur...since the procedure, i have been in such horrible pain...the plug never dissolved..the groin area feels as if the doctor just did the procedure even though it has been 4 months...my leg feels like it is on fire and my hip and lower back on that side has excruciating pain....i limp now and i think my body is trying to over compensate...i wish that i would have not jumped the gun and had this done...it turns out that there was absolutely nothing wrong with me...i didnt complain of any symptoms...it turned out to be an artifact, a shadow...my new cardiologist said no good doctor would have done this...now i have to try and come up with money to help myself and the doctor gets off scott free..even though he caused a blood clot and nerve damage...now i am prone to blood clots for the rest of my life...i will NEVER let a dr do anything like that again...i would rather take my chances thank you
wendy biettchert, las vegas nevada, September 09, 2005

• My father had a heart attack 3 weeks ago. They performed angioplasty immediately upon his arrival at the hospital. He has constant severe pain in his left leg. The doctor said they may have nicked a nerve when they went into the femoral artery. Is this something that will heal with time, is this treatable, or is this a chronic condition? Also, he's received conflicting information from therapist. The first group had him up and walking as much as possible; the second group said he should restrict his activities. Who's correct?
Cheryl Owens, Cleburne, Texas, USA, August 26, 2005

• I had a heart cath procedure, on the right arm. My doctor was having great difficulty getting into the artery. During the procedure, I got a hard shooting pain that went to the thumb, index and middle fingers. The next day, this pain returned with numbness and burning. It has been 10 days with no relief. Even pain meds do not help. Running my hand under cold water helps momentarily until you remove it. Any ideas would be helpful. sally@barkleigh.com
Sally Liddick, Camp Hill PA, August 14, 2005

• I had a cardiac cath done in May. Cath showed no problem with my heart. since then I have had increasing pain and numbness in my right leg. The pain is getting to a point where I cannot walk without a limp or work. I have already gone through some tests and will be getting others. I can't imagine dealing with this pain much longer.
J., USA, August 14, 2005

• I had HC done on 7-22-05 I felt the entire procedure which hurt like nothing I have ever experienced before. But the worst part is the pain I have in the groin area and the fire that travels down my leg. My right foot feels like it is numb or sleeping. I did have a small hematoma in the area. I have recently had and ultrasound, the hematoma is gone but the pain is still there. It has only been a week since the procedure, I am hoping it gets better from here. I have a hard time sitting or standing and walking. I feel better when I am lying on my back. The incision sight is still very painful to touch. I was never warned about this prior. I know that I will never have this done again.
Karlotta, Philadelphia, August 04, 2005

• My wife is in a-fib and has HCM. Her specialists insisted on an angiogram to screen for coronary artery disease (CAD), and refused our request to first try the new CT-Angiograms that are accurate and non-invasive. It turned out there was no CAD and the CTA could have been used. She was in horrible pain, and the burning and numbness are relentless. NOTHING helps. We read about complications like femoral neuropathy or meralgia paresthetica but the surgeons deny responsibility.
Phil Smith, Sunnyvale, CA, July 25, 2005

• Had an angiogram about 4 years ago, and my leg has never been the same since. It developed into chronic pain at the angio insertion site, and numbness throughout the entire leg. Finally was given a chance to see a nerve specialist, who tells me that the femoral nerve was damaged druing the operation and there is nothing that can be done to fix tha damaged nerve. Swell....
Jason Altmiks, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, July 22, 2005

• My brother has had two angioplasties in the last year. He noticed his vision has changed since the last surgery. His eye doctor told him dye had settled in his optic nerve. Is this common? Will the damage be permanent? What kind of physician should he see about this problem? Thanks
Karen Lorenz, Harvey, North Dakota USA, July 01, 2005

• S. Mayberry -- have you reported these events to the radiologist/cardiologist who perfprmed the procedure? If not you should. Let us know the response.
Angioplasty.Org Staff, Angioplasty.Org, June 16, 2005

• I HAD RT. ILLIAC STENTING DONE IN FEB.05. I HAD 95% OCCLUSION DUE TO SCARRING FROM RADIATION THERAPY FOR CERVICAL CANCER THAT WAS COMPLETED IN AUG. 03. THE THREE WKS. FOLLOWING THE STENTING I WAS PAIN FREE AND LOST 17 LBS. OF FLUID FROM MY RT. LEG. AT THE FOURTH WEEK I STARTED HAVING PAIN AND TINGLING IN MY RT. KNEE AND SHIN, NOW I AM HAVING DEEP ACHEY TYPE PAIN DOWN THE OUTSIDE OF MY RT. LEG. ITS WORSE WITH SITTING TOO LONG OR LAYING DOWN AT NIGHT. I'VE TRIED ELAVIL 25MG. 3 AT BEDTIME ALONG WITH LORTAB 10/500MG 2 AT BEDTIME . I SLEEP WITH A HEATING PAD ALL THE TIME. ANY ONE EXPERIENCED THIS ANY SOLUTIONS?
SMAYBERRY, WICHITA FALLS, TX, June 15, 2005

• Marvin -- we are so sorry for your situation. As for your surgeon, vascular surgeons are actually a subspecialty of general surgery -- and general surgeons do in fact perform many vascular procedures. This is a matter of great discussion within the profession (see our documentary, Vascular Pioneers: Evolution of a Specialty). However, if you have a specific complaint against this practioner, you should by all means report it and make sure it gets resolved. It also sounds like you have pretty advanced Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) and interventional treatments lag in that area. There's something more complicated about the leg than the heart -- procedures that are very successfuly in the heart and the brain artery (very high risk) don't work so well in the leg -- can you believe it? Angioplasty was in fact invented in 1964 by Charles Dotter, a radiologist who thought there might be a way to avoid amputation through the use of catheters in the leg. 15 years later it was applied to the heart, but the leg is still a problem.
Angioplasty.Org Staff, Angioplasty.Org, June 13, 2005

• I was diagnosed with PAD in October 2004, The left leg artery was totaly blocked 5 inches. Left leg artery was two 50% blockage !In the Aorta 70% blockage. All grafted! I was in CCU for atleast 3 hours after surgery. I was awoken and told that I had to go in for an emergency surgery. The Right leg graft was blocked by cloting. My right leg was black and blue after recovery room! Severe right leg pain and burning of r/foot! After 12 days of pain and discomfort on a 5-9 day promised stay date, I had contracted a hospital infection antibacterial resistant! On the 15th day a training nurse, Yanked a Epidermal out of my back and ripping my back skin. She repaired it by an adhesive mole skin!! The nurse and doctor de-brided my infected right thigh enter incision with out a local! Very painful!I was told in the recovery room by my doctor, That They may take my leg, AMPUTATION! My brother( Power of Attorny) refused them permission! 4 days late, The doctor said they may take my leg,Just below the knee! SAME, My brother said NO! After 28 days in pain and depression,I was released with dry Gangrene in foot! 10 days later, The foot turned fleshy again, Except the great toe!After several ER visits with fever,pain. I told my doctor that the big toe has to go! It was pumping poison into my blood! He refused. in 2 days later, with high fever, tail-tell red line up my right leg, The VA hospital diagnosed blood poisoning( Cellulitious). They took the toe!9 months later, I am useing a cane, and issued a wheelchair by VA. Can bearly stand, Severe nerve and muscle loss due to lack of blood supply to the right leg! BUT! To make it worse, My Doctor who claimed he was a Vascular surgen, WAS actually a general surgen by State Lisence! And Quit practice and ran away from the clinic!!! My advice Don`t sign wavers! Don`t trust hanging lies! Do research your condition and Doctor for malpractice! I walked in the hospital in no pain in either leg. Weakness in right leg tho! and left the hostipal with right leg restored and left crippled for life!
Marvin Warren Camp Sr., Lagrange, Ga,, June 12, 2005

• my right leg has swelled for years..over night my right big toe turned purple..i have diabetes..went to the vascular surgeon and he put in stents in illac arteries. would not take..the doctor sent me on a wild goose chase for a week and a half..he would not see me..he said it was my back..went to a back surgeon and the called the vascular doctor and said i needed to be seen right away.was rushed back into surgery that very day with more stents..no take..then the next day..no take..blood clots were everywhere..was told needed bypass surgery..i was blocked 85%..almost died in surgery..came out and was rushed back with another blood clot in rt. leg..two months later my right leg is numb and have sharp pains in it..somtimes gives out at the knee..ii must be nerve damage..help...will i ever have feeling back in my upper leg..steph butler, virginia, usa, june 2005
steph butler, newport news, va. usa 23602, June 11, 2005

• Carol, we certainly agree that no medical procedure should be undertaken without necessity. This, and other topics in our Forum, point up the possible complications that can occur during angioplasty, stenting or even a catheterization. The possibility of complications is a topic that should be discussed between doctor and patient. In the words of the inventor of coronary angioplasty, Andreas Gruentzig, "...that's the reason I speak up about complications. It is not because it is such a major problem, but it is always my major concern in selecting patients and treating patients." (see the video clip.) As for your recommendation that patients try chelation therapy, we can only say that the therapy is considered controversial and potentially harmful -- several Medicare providers refuse payment for chelation therapy and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) started a very large clinical trial in 2003 to determine once and for all if there is any benefit to chelation and, if so, what optimal doses might be.
Angioplasty.Org Staff, Angioplasty.Org, May 4, 2005

• I have a friend age 51 who just went for a heart cath in late March... in closing the artery with suture they "nicked the nerve". She's been in extreme pain in that leg & groin area ever since... very hard to sit or bend that area. Is somewhat better when lying flat or standing. They put her on a pain med & now Steroid to try to "revive" the nerve. She's at her wit's end. I would suggest to anyone facing such an invasive heart procedure to look into alternative methods if you know you have blockage or calcification. Here is a web site to check out: www.divservices.com (Editor's note: Angioplasty.Org does not endorse and is not responsible for information found on external sites). My father has taken the chelation therapy powder and intravenously for 2 years and has had wonderful success in keeping his arteries open post heart by-pass 6 years ago. It's a good blood thinner too. Check out the info they have to offer. Carol Overholt, Sidney Ohio
Carol Overholt, Sidney, Ohio, April 30, 2005

• I am a 40 year old single mom of two awesome boys 8 and 9. About 2 months ago I had a stent placed in the left common iliac vein for the correction of May-Thurner syndrome. The doctor told me I would feel a little discomfort with insertion. I felt full blown pain hip to hip and all across my back and down my left leg. They just kept adding pain meds to my IV, which didn't help at all. After in the recovery room, I had electrical jolts of pain plus constant pain to the left side of my back and down the same leg. My doctor also has never heard of this complication before nor will he contact any other doctor or journal on my behalf. He has suggested that I pull myself together and just live with the pain. Epidural blocks and pain meds are his answer to my problem for the rest of my life if this pain doesn't dissipate. I am on way too much pain medication as it is. To top things off, my pain was never mentioned in the operative report. Please let me know if you have found anything new since your last postings. Thank you and I wish you all well.
Melissa, Jupiter, Florida, April 26, 2005

• Oh I really shouldn't have read these considering I go for catherization tomorrow and I already have trouble with my legs anyway. New technology is just heartbeats away and a lot of these catherizations will be eliminated by a new test which costs only a fraction of the cost of a cath, and is noninvasive. Hmmmmm, perhaps I should wait until that happens.
Juanita King, , West Virginia, USA, April 14, 2005

• My husband had a cardiac cath in 1999 and is totally disabled from this. The doctor who did the procedure damaged his femoral nerve and artery. Doctors need to retrained or this procedure reviewed. After reading this forum, seems that what my attorney told me their specialists said about this being a one in a million mistake was wrong. My husband was 36 years old and we have 3 children. This doctor ruined our lives over a procedure that showed nothing to be wrong with his heart. Indiana has horrible med mal laws and we could recover nothing for this "accident" because the doctor had no way to know the "risk" of this happening. My husband now has a stimulator in his spine made by Medtronics that has been very helpful in relieving some of his pain, but not a cure. Good luck to all and God Bless.
Valerie Seaver, Evansville, Indiana, USA, April 08, 2005

• I know of someone right now that is suing a Hospital and it looks like they have a good chance of winning. Since her angioplasty, the doctors have turned her into a 27 yr old nothing. She is in so much pain from the pelvic region down into her thighs that she can't walk for too long or she will collapse. They have her on duragesic patches, and hydrocodone. She sleeps all the time. She has a 2 1/2 yr old that she can barely take care of. The hospital kept shoving that line in her leg and it wouldn't go. She was screaming from the pain. She said at one point she thought she wet herself because she felt warm all of a sudden but, she turned her head and saw a pool of blood on the floor! They finally decided to try the other leg. I saw the bruising when she came home. It was awful. They have tried some shock type of machine with no success. The last resort is to have another operation to cauterize the nerves that are causing the pain and deaden them. But, she is scared. Do you blame her?
Barb Wemmer, Waterloo, Nebraska , March 22, 2005

• My dad who is 70 years old, had a procedure 2 weeks ago. the doctors opened up his Kidney arteries which were 95% blocked, by the use of Stents. Ever since the procedure my dad started having severe lower back pains and his creatinine went up from 2.1 at the time of the procedure to 4.0 today. His toes started turning pale. We went back to his doctor, we were told that as the result of the use of the Catheter, some plaque has been released that has gone into the Kidneys and also to his legs. There is no treatment for this. Kidney could regain its functionality, but at this point 60% is heading towards failure. I do not believe this. Is there anything that we could do to prevent the kidneys from failing? We are very worried about him and I feel the time is running out and we are not doing anything about it. Thank You for your help Javid
Javid, Laguna Niguel, Ca, USA , March 10, 2005

• I had an angiogram through my right groin in September 2004. They could not get it all the way up so went in through my right wrist. Thats fine but I have had increasing pain in my right leg until I am now only able to walk with a stick. My GP says that I am probably thinking the pain is bad but I am going to see a vascular surgeon on friday so hope to get some answers then.
Sue Legg, Plymouth UK, March 08, 2005

• Lynn from RI. Last week a cardiologist said that due to family history and my symptoms he would not feel comfortable with doing a stress test, so he said his catheterization team was there to do it right then, if I wanted. He said risks were minute. So I followed his advice. Days later I had great leg weakness and shooting pain in thighs and other close areas. So bad I could barely walk. I went to Dr's office and was told I was fine, and to rest. Later at ER with not being able to move legs, etc and was told not related to cath. Even my internist said that. Now I see that he/his team probably damaged my nerves. Don't know what to do.
Russ, Rhode Island, USA, March 06, 2005

• My mother has been going through terrible pain in her left leg since three stents and eecp treatment. It has been over one year now with no relief. We have seen an orthopedic surgeon, a vein specialist, neurologist and a pain clinic physician trying to get to the bottom of her pain. After various treatments the pain is still there and she now has to use a cane. Has anyone experienced anything like this for such an extended period? She has just been put on Neurontin so see if that helps.
Susan Tunnell, Personal, Stuart, Florida, USA, February 16, 2005

• My dad had stent placed Dec. 23rd of this year. He was slowly starting to feel better from all the bruising and discomfort and suddenly got a sharp pain down his thigh to his ankle. He is unable to bear weight and has incredible pain. He is also starting to experience burning in the groin where they entered. He is beside himself thinking he would be back to work by now. Is there anything that can be done? The doctor says its femoral neuropathy and there is nothing he can do. Is that it...should it subside over time or is this a chronic condition???
lynn, Rhode Island, USA, February 04, 2005

• I had angioplasty 4 years ago. Immediately following surgery I experienced numbness in my right thigh. It has gotten progressively worse, and is now accompanied with some pain.
anonymous, January 12, 2005

• I had a heart cath in 2001 then 30 days later I had angioplasty with a stent. After the Angioplasty I experienced numbness in right upper thigh. 4 years later and it hasn't gone away. I think they damaged a nerve when they stapled the artery closed. I guess I'll have to live with it; lucky no pain, just aggravation.
Jim, Kansas City, December 31, 2004

• I had a cardioSEAL patch on my heart just 3 weeks ago. They went in the groin area. My upper thigh really hurts yet from time to time, is this normal?
Constance, Minneapolis, December 07, 2004

• I had a stent put in the right part of my heart, and afterwords I get an aneurysm in the groin area, they thought that they had corrected the problem, but I now have a lump there and pain that runs down my leg to my knee,and as time is passing the pain is getting worse. What in the world can be done as I can't go on living like this in so much pain that tears are in my eyes, and I can take alot of pain, but this is something I just can't seem to handle please help me as I am at my wits ends thank you
Rebecca Newcomb, Medford ,Oregon Jackson , August 03, 2004

• I had cardiac cath last June 2002. Since then, I always experience sharp pain in my groin area where I was cut and sometimes prolong walking gives me burning sensation on my right thigh. I think some nerves were damaged from that procedure. Does anyone else experience the same thing when they had the cardiac cath? Thanks and hope to hear from you soon.
Jocy Joaquin, KFSH&RC, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 16, 2004

• I HAD A ANGIOGRAM IN JAN. 2004. NOW I HAVE PAIN IN GROIN AREA AND HIPS AND BUTTOCKS. THE DR, GAVE ME NEURONTIN FOR PAIN. I WANT TO KNOW THE CAUSE. CAN YOU HELP?
Judy Barnes, , Ladysmith Wi., 15 May 2004

• I have been treated at a VA clinic. They did two angiograms on me within six weeks of each other.Both times they went in on my righr side at the groin. i started to have pain ,numbness from my right thigh to the knee,burning sensation,and pain in my right testical. all of these things started to happen right away. The pain has gotten so bad that at times i have wanted to put my 9mm in my mouth and pull the trigger. after three months,i finally got my doctors to put me on morphine and codine. I am having an MRI and then going back to see my nerve doctor,in the mean time they have me so doped up that now i feel nothing. Thank God the pain is gone for now,as lone as i stay on the morphine.I went to a nerve doctor last week, he told me the same as i have heard,that the pain may never go away,that the nerve was damaged when they put the catheter in the same place at two different times. I am going to try to get compansation from the VA, for causing the damage but that may not ever happen. Anyone with same problem that wants to trade information, please e-mail me.
Jerry Russell, Austin,Texas, 11 May 2004

• I had an angiogram performed about 5 months ago. The day of the procedure, I tried to walk and couldn't. My leg was numb for 5 days. The doctor said that it was from him hitting my femoral nerve. Every since then, I have had throbbing pain from my groin and down my inner thigh. The doctor says that he has never known of any pain related to an angio to go on for this long and that it must be unrelated. What else could it be? Thanks, Kim in GA
Kim, 07 May 2004

• Its been over six years since my angiogram, which was misdiagnosed and unnecessary. My numbness began 1 day after the procedure. I called the doctor that performed the procedure amd he said "I didn't do it" and sent me to my primary who said there's nothing he could have done wrong!! I was a teenager at the time and accepted her answer. I found out they both lied and that my numbness in my thighs could be caused by the catherization in my groin during the angioplasty. All these years I thought I was crazy I'm reassured to know that others have experienced this.I'm not sure I will ever have feeling in my thighs. I wish doctors would be more honest for those who have pain associated with this, my heart goes out to you
tiffany stroh, Salt Lake City, Utah, 25 Apr 2004

• I HAD ANGIOPLASTY DONE WITH STENTS IN OTHE ARTERIES TO THE ARMS. THESE WERE DONE ONE AT A TIME. AFTER THE STENT WAS PLACED IN MY LEFT ARM, I HAD HORRENDIS PAIN IN MY LEFT ARM, FINALLY, MY FAMILY DOCTOE PUT ME ON NEURONTIN, THIS HELPED THE PAIN IN MY ARM. I ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY LEFT HAND, I CANNOT USE MY FINGERS AND MY HAND BURNS ALL OF THE TIME, THIS HAS GONE ON SINCE FEB. 29, 2004. I ALSO AM IN THERAPY, WHICH IS VERY HURTFUL.
ROSEMARY PENN, HOUSEWIFE, SO. BEND, IN, 29 Mar 2004

• PAIN IN ARMS LEGS AND NUMBNESS WITH GENERAL WEAKNESS
A.S DHIR, RETIRED, GURGAON, HARYANA, INDIA, 12 Mar 2004

• My husband also had a stent placement done. Through the day he's fine until he comes home from work to relax then the numbness and pain starts where he was cathed on his right thigh down to his knee. Both knees are bothering him but mostly the left where they put the stent through. If anyone has any answers please help. I have no insurance now so can't afford testing. Also his Ekg and blood tests were good. It's been 5 months. I think it's nerve damage. Husband and I both are worried. Thanks Denise in Pa.
Denise, Indiana, Pennsylvania 15701, 25 Feb 2004

• My husband had a heart cath on July 2,2003. He had immediate groin pain at the entry site and was told it would clear up in a few hours, then it was days, then he was sent to a pain management specialist. Nothing helped by Vicaden, but he didn't want to take it for long because of its reputation for addiction. He suffered from unbearable pain at first in the groin area only. After pain management, it went all the way to his ankle. He can live with it now without meds, but at times it is still exttremely painful. He was not told ahead of time that they were going to use the new procedure for closing on him.
Sherry Wood, , Midland, MI , 27 Jan 2004

• I had a heart cath done and I am having trouble with pain in my right leg.I have had two mini strokes since the heart cath.The doctors have not found the cause yet.
Terrie, Lavalette, West Virginia, USA, 05 Jan 2004

• In November of 2001, I had a heart attack and the doctors did an angiogram and bypass surgery. In February of 2002, I was having problems and the doctors did another angiogram and I had a stent placement. After these procedures, I experienced some numbness in my right leg, between the knee and hip, but nothing unbearable. In August of 2003, I was diagnosed with uterine cancer and had a complete hysterectomy. The numbness in my leg increased but was still bearable. In November of 2003, I had two different cesium implants for radiation therapy. After these procedures, the numbness in my leg became much worse and was accompanied by a severe burning, stinging pain about mid-thigh with the pain shooting up the leg into my hip area and sometimes into my groin area. The pain becomes almost unbearable when I am standing or walking. The numbness is still there all the time. I have been to the medical doctor and to a chiropractor and neither of them can explain what is wrong. I have had X-rays and an MRI and nothing of significance shows up in either. Can someone please tell me if this is possibly Arachnoiditis, and if there is anything that can be done for it. I am in unbearable pain at my job, trying to stand, and don't know how much longer I can keep working. Thanks for any help you might give me.
Jan Cofer, Willmar, Minnesota, USA, 02 Jan 2004

• I also went through an angiogram, and when they closed the site they used a plug of some sort. The plug was supposed to stop the bleeding faster I am told, but what happened is much worse. The plug was pushed into the femoral artery causing blockage to the right leg. A week later after pushing my way into the doctors office because angio's never go wrong. I was on my way to surgery to remove the blockage. Now I have constant deep aching in the right leg, numbness and burning sensations. The right leg and foot seem to be shrinking up also. The surgery was done in april 2001, Could the leg be suffering from no blood for a week still, or did the nerve get damaged in the surgery, or could it be from all of those? This is keeping me from working as the lack of sleep is the worst thing besides the pain and burning. Would love to hear from anyone with some light on this problem.
Allen Thomas, Fresno, California, USA, 18 Dec 2003

• My mother had a heart cath on 8-19-03 and today is 8-28-03. She had a huge hematoma in her groin and totally severe black and blue, purple bruising on her hip, down her leg, and all in her groin area, that blood clot in her groin is so huge, i think it is a shame that she went in for a heart cath and had to end up with this mess, now they want to send her for more test, CAT scan with dye and iodine to check the hematoma, the way her leg and groin area looks to me, somebody really messed up, if any one has any comments or suggestions, please email me my mother is in so much pain... please help . god bless
Mary, Westland, Michigan, usa, 28 Aug 2003

• I had an angiogram done 10 days ago. I bruised very badly from my buttocks all the way to my testicles which turned black. They are now coming back to color but i still have a burning sensation in the upper right side just to the left of the incision in the right groin. when I push on it it's really sore and I can feel the muscle in there which is quite hard, similar to what a muscle would feel like during a cramp. It does feel better after I stand on it for a minute or lie with my leg straight out. Is this normal??? and How long can I expect this to last??? My doctor just says give it time.
David Stentiford, Waterloo, Iowa, USA, 17Jul 2003

• My father had an angioplasty and stent insterted for both legs in March 2003. He immediately experienced coolness in his legs and weakness in his knees. Within 2-3 days after the procedure, he experienced burning and numbness in his legs, and constipation and difficulty urinating. He has difficulty in walking. All the symptoms are getting worse. He has been to various doctors, including the doctor who performed the procedure, but none can provide a diagnosis or prognosis. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Michael Bumbaca, San Mateo, California, USA, 24 Jun 2003

• 15 months since my Angioplasty and I am still having extreme pain in my calf especially while walking and at bedtime. Finally, after several visits to various MD specialists, femoral nerve injury is suspected. I had a huge hematoma following the cath procedure. One of the doctors mentioned that the "sheath" may not have been removed from the femoral artery properly and that may have caused the damage. All I know is, my leg hurts more than the chest pain ever did and I have not been able to work since.
Mary L. , Torrance, California, USA, 19 Jun 2003

• My husband had a stent put in his left leg above the knee in Jan. 2003. He has pain in the area when anything touches his leg, at times it gets numb and also feels hot to the touch. Has anyone had this sort of problem?
Ann Lemmon, O'Fallon, Montana, 15 Jun 2003

• I had an angiogram in Jan of 2002. After the procedure, I developed a hematoma the size of a baseball. I was bruised from the area of the insertion all the way across my stomach and down my right thigh. Extreme pressure was applied to the bleed for 1.5 hours following the surgery. I then became incontinent for one week. To this day, over a year later, I still have extreme pain in my calf after standing for long periods or walking. It really hurts a lot at bedtime. After seeing a vascular specialist last week, he diagnosed "traumatic femoral nerve injury". He recommended an epidural block and stated there is no other treatment to correct the nerve damage. All of the complications I suffered after the procedure were worse than the chest pain I had to begin with. I have not been in good health since due to this debilitating leg pain. The pain has truly ruined my quality of life.
Mary L., Torrance, CA , USA, 14 Jun 2003

• My father recently had Angioplasty performed and is now having difficulty in walking. Is this something that is common?
Sylva Penkov, Torrance, CA, USA, 04 May 2003

• I had a angiogram, it was found that both legs are blocked. My initial concern is that my ankle and feet swell on top. if i have a angioplasty will that subside the inflammation? i also had a spinal fusion w/ bone graft in "99"
Carolyn Buckner, Chicago, Illinois, 18 Apr 2003

• I had a heart cath done 3 mos. ago and I was bruised very badly. The doc couldn't get the cath up the right leg, so he tried the left. I had two nurses or technicians (I don't know who they were) on both sides of me holding pressure on my legs for thirty minutes or somewhere around that. The lady on my right didn't use as much pressure as the lady on my left and I ended up having a hematoma on my left side and my whole upper left leg was black and blue. I stayed that way for a long time. I called the doctor and told him about it and also told him my leg was numb and he said it was nothing to worry about. My leg is still kind of numb after all this time and it has a cramping like feeling in it and it hurts when you rub the inside of it. I recently saw the doc again and he asked did I pull a muscle or something and I said I didn't have this problem until after I had the heart cath. He listened to my leg with a stethescope and said I didn't have an aneurysm and said I was just too uptight and worried about things. I think someone damaged my nerve and they don't want to admit it. I dont' know if it was the doc or the nurse/tech. This lady was heavy and put all her weight down on her arms and pushed on my leg. I'm not saying anything about her because she's heavy. I'm heavy too. I think she just used too much pressure. I was concerned about blood clots after that and I'm still a little concerned. Something isn't right and it all happened right after the procedure.
Michelle Parker, LaGrange, Georgia, USA, 04 Apr 2003

• Just thought you'd like to know the same thing happened to me and after many tests, they found out about the femoral nerve being compressed by scar tissue from an angioplasty. They gave me naproxin,for inflamation and neurontin,for the healing of the nerve. The neurontin didn't help at first, only taking 300mg twice a day then they added another pill and it has helped a little more and I think the doctor will add a fourth pill. She said that you could take as much as 3600 mg. a day. I tell you until they upped the neurontin the pain was so severe I couln't stand it, even pain pilld had no effect. My doctor tells me it might take a few months for my leg to get better. Please talk to your doctors about taking neurontin It really helps. I hope my pain and yours will cease.
Sandra Groves, Westover, West Virginia., 10 Mar 2003

• I had an angiogram in June 2002 and discovered only 10% blockage. The good news is that I should live to be an old man. The bad news is that right after the surgery I had a massive infection that the doctor said was due to a reaction to the plug/seal. The infection went away with antibotics but I was left with horrible, knife like pains in my groin. My doctor said it appears I have some nerve damage that should heal itself within a year at the longest. My pain is worse when I am sitting and I drive for a living, so I have lost my job. Anyone out there have any ideas on any procedures that might help? I am going to request a MRI to see exactly what is wrong.
Don Stadterman, Las Vegas, NV USA, 02 Dec 2002

• This is a follow-up to my post of 20 Nov 2002. I am pleased to report that in the week since then that the burning pain in my groin/upper leg area has diminished significantly. In fact, for the last 48 hours I have literally experienced no pain. The upper part of my leg is still numb, however that also seems to be making slight improvement. Just wanted to pass along some good news.
Michael John, , Kansas City, MO, 28 Nov 2002

• I have nerve damage following a right femoral entry heart catheterization 6 1/2 months ago. Dr. says probably will not get better. Am trying Neurontin. Has anyone contacted their attorney?
DMF, 25 Nov 2002

• My experience is virtually identical to that of Mr Kaplan. It has been 10 days since my angioplasty procedure. I did not notice any numbness in my upper leg until two days after the procedure and the burning sensation after three days. A nurse practionioner in cardiologist's office says that the nerve could be damaged and it may recover and it may not. They have been less than helpful and gave me no indication this might occur prior to surgery nor that I might experience these conditions after surgery. The second time I called their office a nurse told me to contact my personal physician. Go figure! A friend of mine who is a retired MD said that it could take over 6 months for the nerve to heal. My pain occurs most often when I am seated and much less often when standing or laying down. My doctor friend says that when you sit it stretches the nerve bundle and can irritate it more. Today I have been working in my shop and on my feet most of the day so have had very little pain. Nightime varies between very difficult to sleep and moderately difficult to sleep. I am really disturbed to read the previous posts that indicate the same type of problem with no resolution. Any additional information on prognosis for this condition would be appreciated.
Michael John, Kansas City, Missouri, USA, 20 Nov 2002

• I suffered a heart attack and was taken to an emergency room. I had an angioplasy performed and a stent put in. After being released from the hospital, I started, at first, to feel a numbness and tingling in my right thigh. Over a period of two weeks it has gone to burning and quite a bit of pain all along my right thigh almost to my knee. During a follow up at the cardiac clinic, I was told that there was a good chance that the nerve next to the femoral artery had been damaged but there was nothing they could do about it.
Jim, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA, 12 Aug 2002

• I had a venogram and stent placed in my right external iliac vein 3 years ago. I experienced a lot of pain during the procedure and this pain has stayed with me ever since. I cannot walk long distances w/o the pain becoming intolerable. It goes away with rest, but comes back while moving around. This has ruined my life, and doctors do not know what caused it. The vascular surgeon and the radiologist deny that the stent is causing the pain or that the stent placement "pinched" or damaged a nerve nearby. The various pain medications I have been taking do not help. Any similar experiences?
Jasenka Diminic, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, 08 Aug 2002

• I too have had an angiogram followed by an angioplasty stent placement. The angiogram was done on my right leg and since that was done I have severe numbness in my right upper thigh with severe burning sensation at times. The stent was placed through the left leg and the angina was cured with no complications. My doctor has told me it in not uncommon to have some pain as a main nerve is very close to the artery where he inserted the catheter. He say the pain will go away. It has been over a month now with no decrease in pain. I think he botched the job and will not admit his error. Any thoughts?
Howard Kaplan, Shoreline, Washington, USA, 5 Apr 2002

• EDITOR'S NOTE: The study from the Lahey Clinic, near Boston, Massachusetts, to which Dave alludes can be found here. Information about Dr. Bryan can be found here.
Angioplasty.Org Staff, 17 March, 2002

• The left side of my right knee is numb and has a burning sensation. My Doc says they traumatized it during the groin cath. Nothing can be done.

Research: Restoring Nerve Function In October 2001, researchers at Lahey Clinic isolated and sequenced a gene that appears to be "turned off" in the nerve regeneration process. The team is currently analyzing the function of the gene to determine if it can help regenerate nerves damaged by trauma. "We are very excited about this discovery," says David J. Bryan, MD, head of Lahey's Tissue Engineering Laboratory. "We hypothesize that this gene may regulate activation of neural stem cells and the nerve regeneration cascade. The potential clinical applications are significant." Surgeons now sometimes repair nerves by viewing them under a microscope and directly suturing them back up. With severe injuries, nerve gaps may need to be bridged with grafts or conduits. When nerves cannot be repaired, the result is loss of sensation, whether minor—like loss of feeling in a finger—or major—loss of feeling in the limbs due to a spinal cord injury and muscle paralysis. Bryan's lab is a nationally recognized research lab that works with biotechnology companies to develop products to optimize nerve reconstruction after traumatic injury. "We were the first to publish results of a study showing improvement of nerve function by adding Schwann cells to an artificial conduit," says Bryan. Schwann cells are the source of myelin, which forms a sheath around nerves and facilitates the transmission of nerve impulses. Bryan's team added Schwann cells to a conduit made of a biocompatible polymer material. "Adding Schwann cells promoted nerve regeneration, which did not occur in the absence of these cells," says Bryan Thank You, Dave
Dave, Lynn, 16 Mar 2002

• I too had an angioplasty done on January 3d and am still experiencing pain/numbness in the groin area, upper leg and lower back. Does anyone have more information on this?
Robin Viens, , Anchorage, Alaska, USA, 28 Jan 2002

• Since a massive heart attack as the result of a blunt trauma injury to the heart I have had much difficulty walking (lifting my legs, tight ham strings). I am in massage therapy school and while doing a homework assignment discovered that nerve damage from botched surgical procedure to femoral arteries can affect the adductor muscles. I had an aortic balloon valve inserted thru left femoral artery and ? thru right femoral artery and vein. Has anyone else had this experience or know more about it? Thank you.
Sherrie Petkus, She Lives!, Hazel Park, Michigan 48030 USA, 28 Nov 2001

• My husband had an angioplasty performed 30 days ago. Immediately after surgery he required morphine for the pain from the entry into the artery in the groin, He has since then experienced pain severe at time along with numbness in upper leg. After surgery they asked if he'd ever had nerve damage. Is this normal has anyone else ever had this and does it go away? All responses appreciated.
Debbie TeDesco, , Niagara Falls Ontario Canada, 3 Nov 2001

• I have been diagnosed to have meralgia paresthetica and neurogenic claudication.I have had 3 angioplasties.Is there a possible link between the two caused by the excessive pressure applied atthe insertion point to prevent bleeding? Thank you.
Gerald Janes, Depauw, Indiana, USA, 15 May 2001

• Angioplasty and stents - what's frequency of nerve damage
Michael J. O'Connor, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, February 3, 2000

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