Each year, more than 150,000 Americans undergo lower extremity amputations, many due to peripheral artery disease (PAD) — a silent, progressive condition that blocks blood flow to the limbs. In the Rio Grande Valley, where conditions like diabetes and obesity are prevalent, the risk is especially high. However, thanks to a new program at South Texas Health System (STHS) Edinburg, there’s hope for preventing limb loss and reclaiming quality of life.
Officially launched in early 2025, the STHS Limb Salvage & Amputation Prevention Center is making a significant impact on the lives of Valley residents with PAD and chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), the disease’s most severe form.
“We’re not just treating a disease — we’re helping people stay mobile, stay independent and stay alive,” said Dr. Ofsman E. Quintana, MD, FACC, the medical director of the program. “This program is a lifeline for patients suffering from PAD.”
PAD is caused by the buildup of fat and cholesterol along artery walls, leading to poor circulation and, if untreated, painful wounds, infections, and ultimately amputations. In fact, diabetes — a condition affecting nearly a quarter of adults in the Valley — is present in more than 80% of vascular-related amputations, according to national data.
That’s why early detection is critical. “The earlier we intervene, the more options we have to restore blood flow and save the limb,” Quintana said. “We want patients and physicians to think about PAD the way they do heart disease — treat it before it becomes a crisis.”
The center’s approach is multidisciplinary. Patients receive care from a team of interventional cardiologists, wound care specialists, and vascular experts. “We have built a highly skilled team that’s dedicated to limb preservation,” Quintana said. “It’s about collaboration — from diagnosis to follow-up.”
The program offers a wide range of minimally invasive, catheter-based procedures to restore blood flow. Treatment options include angioplasty, stents, atherectomy, and even advanced procedures like Shockwave Intravascular Lithotripsy and other surgical interventions, with each tailored to an individual patient’s needs.
“In many cases, we’re able to reopen arteries that were once thought untreatable,” he said. “These technologies are helping us change outcomes in real time.”
The center also emphasizes education and outreach. “We’re working hard to increase awareness among primary care physicians and the public,” Quintana said. “Too many patients don’t know they’re at risk until they’re facing amputation.”
Since the program’s early rollout, Quintana and his team have performed more than 480 limb-saving procedures — each one potentially preserving not just a limb, but a person’s independence.
“After an amputation, a patient’s life changes dramatically — mobility, mental health, everything,” he said. “We want to prevent that from ever happening.”
Facilities at the center include private treatment rooms and two state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization labs equipped with the Philips Allura Xper FD20 system, providing high-resolution imaging and precision for vascular procedures.
September marks Peripheral Artery Disease Awareness Month, a time to spotlight the importance of circulatory health. For those experiencing leg pain while walking, non-healing wounds, or coldness in the legs or feet, it may be time to get screened.
“Our goal is simple,” Quintana said. “To save limbs and save lives — because every step matters.”
For more information or to schedule a screening, visit southtexashealthsystemedinburg.com or contact the STHS Limb Salvage & Amputation Prevention Center at 956-388-6000.
