Femoral Artery stent followed by pain in back and leg


(tallahassee, fl)

Femoral triangle

Femoral triangle



Femoral Artery stent followed by pain in back and leg

Several months ago I had stents put in both femoral arteries. Now I am experiencing moderate back pain in the right side and severe pain in the front of my right leg in the thigh, down to my knee.

I am having to take pain medications and apply hot and cold compresses on a regular basis to alleviate the pain. Also am having lots of trouble sleeping at night because of pain.

A friend who is in the medical field advised me that the femoral nerve may be damaged due to the surgery. What do you think? What should I do?

[To give a sensible answer, I need more detail.

Firstly, whilst the Femoral nerve does indeed lie immediately adjacent to the Femoral nerve in the so-called Femoral triangle, frankly it's most unlikely that a surgeon in the process of entering the artery would nick the nerve. It could happen... but unlikely.

Did the leg pain begin IMMEDIATELY after the surgery to fit the stent in the right leg?

Firstly, these could be two entirely different conditions, a blocked artery initially, and now a pinched nerve. What's needed is a good clinical examination, and perhaps an MR of your lumbar spine. Does the quadriceps muscle above the knee feel week? Does the knee give? Has anyone tested the knee jerk reflex? If you prick your leg above and around the knee with a pin, does it feel funny?

Secondly, lying with your back in extension during the fitting of the stents could have set off the pinched nerve in the mid to upper lumbar spine. Not really directly to do with the op, but a consequence thereof. If you bend backwards, and to the side, do you get pain down the leg? Did the back and leg pain start soon after the ops?

Thirdly, there was a misdiagnosis and whatever you were feeling in your legs actually came from a pinched nerve, not a blocked artery. Frankly this is unlikely as I presume you had an arteriogram done. You probably had a condition called intermittent claudication or, pain in the leg brought on by exercise and which is relieved as soon as you stop walking / cycling.

What do I think? Well normally, I'd suggest you see an experienced local chiropractor, but this is full of other overtones, so I would recommend a neurologist.

Let us know what comes of it.

Let me say: a pinched femoral nerve in your back, which radiates down the leg is a very painful condition, nasty, often worse at night and may respond to chiropractic, may not. Be careful, listen to your back, it will tell you what not to do.

Find a good chiropractor may be your next step.

Go from Femoral Artery stent followed by pain in back and leg to Chiropractic Tips …

I hope this contributes.

Dr B

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Aug 19, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Leg and lower back pain with foot swelling
by: Anonymous

I just had a stent placed in the Femoral and approx 5 hrs later had severe L thigh pain. Called office for pain meds and advised to go to the ER. Ultrasound, and MRI showing blood flowing and swelling where the stent was placed.

Four days later I'm taking pain meds still and walking with a walker. Think it's more than irritation - my L foot is also swollen - after reading the response I'm making appointment with my PCP for neurologist referral (when in observation at hospital the PT found I was weak in my left leg)

Hello,
I have my doubts this is a neurological problem; that wouldn't make your foot swell, however I haven't examined you so perhaps take this with a pinch of salt.

I would call the surgeon who fitted the stent; it's quite an invasive procedure and some local pain is likely, but this sounds rather more.

Dr B

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