Pune: A 61-year-old diabetic woman, admitted to Ruby Hall Clinic, Sassoon Road, Pune on 29th July 2025, was spared a major foot amputation after doctors performed the city’s first Jetstream Atherectomy on 9th August 2025. The minimally invasive, 45-minute procedure successfully restored blood flow in her leg, which had been threatened by a severe non-healing diabetic foot ulcer and a completely blocked superficial femoral artery (SFA) hardened with calcified plaque.
On admission, the patient was suffering from a painful ulcer that refused to heal. Investigations revealed her SFA was totally blocked with stony-hard calcium deposits, a condition where routine angioplasty or stenting would not have worked. After careful evaluation, the medical team opted for Jetstream Atherectomy, a device capable of safely breaking down calcified blockages. The procedure was performed in Ruby Hall Clinic’s Bi-Plane Cath Lab on 9th August. Soon after, the patient experienced immediate relief as the pain in her foot subsided and blood flow was re-established, giving the ulcer a chance to heal naturally and preventing the need for amputation.
The patient experienced immediate relief from excruciating pain, and the restored circulation gave her foot the crucial opportunity to heal. She was discharged on August 14, 2025, continuing her recovery with her limb preserved.
Dr. Yadav Munde, Chief Interventional Radiologist, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, said:
“This was not a routine blockage – the blood vessel was rock-hard due to calcium. In such cases, regular balloons or stents alone cannot open the artery. The Jetstream Atherectomy device allowed us to safely break down these tough deposits, restore circulation to her foot and save her limb.”
Dr. Purvez Grant, Chief Cardiologist and Chairman & Managing Trustee, Ruby Hall Clinic: “Peripheral artery disease is extremely common among diabetic patients but often goes unnoticed until it leads to complications like ulcers or gangrene. This technology is a breakthrough for Pune. It gives us the ability to treat cases that were earlier considered untreatable and avoid amputations, thereby improving both quality of life and longevity.”
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a condition in which arteries supplying blood to the legs become narrowed due to plaque build-up. In diabetics, these blockages are often complicated by heavy calcification, making treatment difficult. If untreated, PAD can result in gangrene and limb loss. By introducing Jetstream Atherectomy, this life-saving case demonstrates new hope for diabetic patients facing similar challenges.
