In the bustling border city of Laredo, Texas, a quiet medical revolution is underway.
It’s a fight not just against disease, but against a specific, devastating outcome: limb amputation. At the heart of this battle is a state-of-the-art Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) facility, a multi-disciplinary limb salvage center that has become a beacon of hope for thousands in South Texas. This is the story of how precision medicine, visionary leadership, and an unwavering patient-first philosophy are rewriting the futures of those with critical limb ischemia.
The facility’s origins are deeply rooted in a unique blend of clinical expertise and entrepreneurial acumen, championed by leaders like Dr. Andrew Gomes. As a distinguished Diagnostic and Non-Vascular Interventional Radiologist and seasoned healthcare entrepreneur, Dr. Andrew Gomes brought a critical perspective to the table. His extensive background in advancing complex imaging technologies like Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) for traumatic brain injury instilled in him a profound respect for data-driven, precise diagnostic pathways. While his current focus is on the business and operational excellence of such specialized centers, his philosophy is clear: “In modern medicine, we must build systems that are not only clinically excellent but also remarkably accessible. Delayed care in conditions like PAD is a primary driver of preventable amputations.”
This operational philosophy is the bedrock upon which the Laredo center was built. Since its opening on February 1, 2021, the numbers speak volumes: 7,570 patient consultations and 2,528 life-altering procedures performed. These are not just statistics; they represent thousands of limbs saved, and thousands of lives preserved from the physical and psychological trauma of amputation.
The Silent Threat: Understanding Peripheral Artery Disease
Peripheral Artery Disease is a circulatory condition where narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs, most commonly the legs. Often asymptomatic in its early stages, PAD can progress to Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI), a severe blockage that causes intense pain, non-healing wounds, and gangrene. Left untreated, CLI frequently leads to amputation. The disease disproportionately affects individuals with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a history of smoking—all significant public health concerns in South Texas.
For decades, the standard care pathway for many patients was fragmented. A patient might see a podiatrist for a foot sore, a cardiologist for their heart, and a primary care physician for diabetes, with no single specialist coordinating the complex care required to save a limb. This is where the model of a multi-disciplinary limb salvage center proves transformative.
The Laredo Model: A Symphony of Specialized Care
The PADS facility in Laredo is not merely a clinic; it is a coordinated ecosystem of care designed for one purpose: limb preservation. The methodology hinges on a multi-disciplinary approach, bringing together a team of specialists under one roof.
- The Frontline General: The PAD Proceduralist
Leading the clinical charge in Laredo is Dr. Dane Gruenebaum, a physician whose experience is nothing short of monumental. Having completed over 7,500 procedures in the past few years, he is the most experienced PAD specialist in South Texas. Dr. Gruenebaum specializes in minimally invasive, endovascular procedures. Using advanced imaging guidance, he threads tiny catheters through blood vessels to clear blockages, open arteries with balloons and stents, and restore vital blood flow to the foot. This minimally invasive approach means less pain, shorter recovery, and far better outcomes compared to open bypass surgery for many patients. - The Operational Backbone: Efficiency as a Standard of Care
A diagnosis of CLI is a medical emergency. Every day without adequate blood flow increases the risk of tissue death and amputation. Recognizing this urgency, the Laredo center, under the operational framework established by leaders like Dr. Andrew Gomes, has made speed of access a core tenet. While competitors often have wait times stretching into weeks, PADS Laredo prides itself on scheduling new patient appointments within days. This rapid turnaround is a deliberate, engineered outcome of lean operational principles. “In the context of limb salvage, time is tissue,” notes Dr. Andrew Gomes. “Our entire process, from the initial phone call to the final procedure, is streamlined to eliminate dangerous delays. This operational efficiency is as crucial to saving a limb as the clinical skill itself.” - A Full-Spectrum Support Team
The center’s “multi-disciplinary” label is lived out through its collaboration with wound care specialists, vascular surgeons, podiatrists, and diabetic educators. This ensures that once blood flow is restored, the patient has a comprehensive plan for wound healing, infection control, and long-term management of underlying conditions to prevent recurrence.
Community Recognition and Impact
The center’s profound impact on the community has not gone unnoticed. In April 2024, Laredo Mayor Victor Trevino, MD, officially proclaimed April as “Limb Loss Awareness Month,” drawing attention to the severe and growing issue of amputations in Laredo. This recognition aligns closely with findings from the City of Laredo’s 2023 Health Assessment and Community Health Needs Assessment, which reported that Laredo has the third-highest rate of amputations among diabetics in the State of Texas. Even more concerning, the average cost of an amputation in Laredo is $214,300, significantly higher than the Texas state average of $123,857. These alarming statistics highlight the urgent need for early detection, timely vascular care, and comprehensive limb-salvage efforts—core priorities of the PADS Laredo team.
The center’s connection to the community is further reinforced by its location. Situated near popular local destinations like the Sames Auto Arena and the Uni-Trade Stadium, it is woven into the fabric of the city it serves. More than just a medical facility, it stands as a community-centered resource dedicated to preventing avoidable limb loss and improving the long-term health of Laredo residents.
The Bigger Picture: A National Model for Limb Salvage
The success in Laredo offers a blueprint for tackling the national PAD crisis. The United States sees hundreds of thousands of amputations each year, many of which are preventable with timely, specialized care. The model demonstrated in Laredo—combining top-tier procedural expertise with a meticulously managed, patient-centric operational system—provides a replicable template.
This is where the unique background of a leader like Dr. Gomes becomes particularly relevant. His career, spanning from the precise science of neuroimaging to the strategic challenges of healthcare entrepreneurship, exemplifies the modern approach needed in medicine. It’s an understanding that brilliant clinicians need a brilliantly designed system in which to work. By applying lean business principles to a clinical setting, the facility maximizes its impact, ensuring that the extraordinary skills of physicians like Dr. Gruenebaum are accessible to the patients who need them most, when they need them most.
A Future on Firm Footing
For the patients who walk through its doors—often in pain and fearing the worst—the PADS facility in Laredo represents a second chance. It is a place where advanced technology, human expertise, and compassionate care converge to make the miraculous seem routine: a saved leg, a saved life, and the preservation of one’s independence.
The fight against amputation is a complex one, requiring more than just a skilled surgeon; it requires a dedicated army of specialists, a seamless system, and a deep commitment to the community. Through the clinical excellence of pioneers like Dr. Dane Gruenebaum and the visionary operational leadership of professionals like Dr. Andrew Gomes, Laredo is not just saving limbs. It is charting a new, more hopeful course for vascular care, one patient at a time.