Angiography and Angioplasty in Prabhadevi

Overview

Angiography and angioplasty are two different medical procedures that are related to the blood vessels.

Angiography:

It a procedure used to investigate or examine your blood vessels for a potential heart condition,

Angioplasty:

It is a procedure which involves widening the narrowed arteries to treat the condition.

If your doctor finds a blockage during your coronary angiogram, he or she may decide to perform angioplasty and stenting immediately after the angiogram while your heart is still catheterized. Your doctor will give you instructions to help you prepare.

Coronary Angioplasty:

Coronary angioplasty, also called percutaneous coronary intervention, is a procedure used to open clogged heart arteries. Angioplasty uses a tiny balloon catheter that is inserted in a blocked blood vessel to help widen it and improve blood flow to the heart.

Angioplasty is often combined with the placement of a small wire mesh tube called a stent. The stent helps prop the artery open, decreasing its chance of narrowing again. Most stents are coated with medication to help keep the artery open (drug-eluting stents). Rarely, bare-metal stents are used.

Angioplasty can improve symptoms of blocked arteries, such as chest pain and shortness of breath. Angioplasty is also often used during a heart attack to quickly open a blocked artery and reduce the amount of damage to the heart.

Why it's done

Angioplasty is used to treat the buildup of fatty plaques in the heart's blood vessels causing ischemic heart disease.

Angioplasty may be a treatment option for you if:

You have blockages in the heart arteries.
You have chest pain (angina) that is worsening.
You have a acute heart attack. Angioplasty can quickly open a blocked artery, reducing damage to your heart.this procedure is called as PAMI ( Primary angioplasty in Myocardial Infarction ).

Angioplasty isn't for everyone. Depending on the extent of your heart disease and your overall health, your doctor may determine that coronary artery bypass surgery is a better option than angioplasty for you.

You may need coronary artery bypass surgery if:

The main artery that brings blood to the left side of your heart is narrow
Your heart muscle is weak
You have diabetes and multiple severe blockages in your arteries

What you can expect

Angioplasty is performed by a heart specialist (cardiologist) and a team of specialized cardiovascular nurses and technicians in a special operating room called a cardiac catheterization laboratory.

Angioplasty is performed through an artery in your groin, arm or wrist area.

General anesthesia isn't needed. You'll receive a sedative to help you relax, but you may be awake during the procedure depending on how deeply you are sedated.

You'll receive fluids, an IV catheter in your hand or arm.

Your heart rate, pulse, blood pressure and oxygen level will be monitored during the procedure.

Your doctor will prepare the area in your leg, arm or wrist with an antiseptic solution and will place a sterile sheet over your body.

Your doctor will use a local anesthetic to numb the area where a very small incision will be made. A small, thin guidewire is then inserted into the blood vessel.

With the help of live X-rays, your doctor will thread a thin tube (catheter) through your artery.

Contrast dye is injected through the catheter once it is in place. This allows your doctor to see the inside of your blood vessels and identify the blockage on X-ray images called angiograms.

You might feel pressure in the area where the catheter is inserted

What is angioplasty / Stent placement

Most people who have angioplasty also have a stent placed in their blocked artery during the same procedure. A stent, which looks like a tiny coil of wire mesh, supports the walls of your artery and helps prevent it from re-narrowing after angioplasty.

Here's what happens during a stent placement:

The stent, which is collapsed around a balloon at the tip of the catheter, is guided through the artery to the blockage.

At the blockage, the balloon is inflated and the spring-like stent expands and locks into place inside the artery.

The stent stays in the artery permanently to hold it open and improve blood flow to your heart. In some cases, more than one stent may be needed to open a blockage.

Once the stent is in place, the balloon catheter is deflated and removed.

More X-ray images (angiograms) are taken to see how well blood flows through your newly widened artery.

Most stents implanted during an angioplasty are drug coated. The medication in the stent is slowly released to help prevent future plaque buildup and the re-narrowing of the blood vessel.

After your stent placement, your doctor will prescribe medications, to reduce the chance of blood clots forming on the stent.

Angioplasty can take up to several hours, depending on the difficulty and number of blockages and whether any complications arise.

If you had a nonemergency procedure, you'll probably remain at the hospital overnight while your heart is monitored and your medications are adjusted.

You generally should be able to return to work or your normal routine the week after angioplasty.

When you return home, drink adequate amount of fluids to help flush your body of the contrast dye. Avoid strenuous exercise and lifting heavy objects for at least a day afterward. Ask your doctor or nurse about other restrictions in activity.

Call your doctor's office or hospital staff immediately if:

The site where your catheter was inserted starts bleeding or swelling
You develop pain or discomfort at the site where your catheter was inserted
You have signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, drainage or fever
There's a change in temperature or color of the leg or arm that was used for the procedure
You feel faint or weak
You develop chest pain or shortness of breath
Blood thinners
It's important that you closely follow your doctor's recommendations about your treatment with blood-thinning medications and other medications.

Most people who have undergone angioplasty with or without stent placement will need to take blood thinner indefinitely.

If you have any questions or if you need any other type of surgery, talk to your cardiologist before stopping any of these medications.

Results

Coronary angioplasty greatly increases blood flow through the previously narrowed or blocked coronary artery. Chest pain generally should decrease. You may be better able to exercise.

Having angioplasty and stenting doesn't mean your heart disease goes away. You'll need to continue healthy lifestyle habits and take medications as prescribed by your doctor.

Angiography and Angioplasty