Pittsburgh TV Reporter Hospitalized With Mysterious Ailment

PITTSBURGH, PA — If you have wondered where WPXI-TV reporter Mike Holden has been recently, the answer isn't pleasant. He was in Allegheny General Hospital for several days this week while physicians attempted to diagnose a painful medical condition.

Holden detailed his plight on Twitter, saying that doctors still aren't certain what is wrong with him. But a vascular surgeon believes Holden might have Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome, a condition preventing him from walking, running, driving or putting weight on his right leg for extended periods.

When he does, "the blood flow restricts to my foot and it turns purple," Holden said. "It looks like my foot is swelling up and dying...thankfully, I don't have any blood clots, which was my initial fear, and I'm not going to lose my foot."

According to the Cleveland Clinic, Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome is a rare vascular disease in which the muscle and tendons near the knee compress the popliteal artery – the main artery running through and behind the knee. Compression of the artery restricts blood flow to the lower leg and can damage the artery.

Holden has been released from the hospital and awaiting further tests that will determine whether his condition will require therapy, surgery or some other treatment.

"Needless to say, I'm super grateful to be out of the hospital and thankful for the doctors and nurses at Allegheny General Hospital who were so helpful and nice," he said.

Holden has been with WPXI for five years. He came to the station in 2016 from WTOL-TV in Toledo.

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