Coronary Angioplasty
Coronary Angioplasty, also known as Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), is a minimally invasive procedure used to open up blocked or narrowed coronary arteries, improving blood flow to the heart. It’s commonly performed in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) to relieve symptoms like chest pain (angina) or to reduce heart attack risk.
How Coronary Angioplasty Works
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Catheter Insertion: A thin, flexible tube (catheter) with a small balloon at its tip is inserted into a blood vessel, typically through the groin, wrist, or arm.
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Guiding to the Blockage: The catheter is guided through the blood vessels to the coronary arteries where the blockage or narrowing is located.
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Balloon Inflation: Once in place, the balloon at the tip of the catheter is inflated. This compresses the fatty deposits (plaque) against the artery walls, widening the artery and improving blood flow.
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Stent Placement (Optional): In many cases, a small wire mesh tube called a stent is placed in the artery to keep it open. The stent remains in the artery permanently, and some stents are coated with medication to prevent the artery from narrowing again (drug-eluting stents).
Indications ,Advantages of Coronary Angioplasty,Risks and Complications
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Angina (chest pain) that doesn’t respond well to medications.
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Blockages in coronary arteries that reduce blood flow to the heart.
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Acute heart attacks, where quick restoration of blood flow can limit damage to the heart muscle.
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Narrowed arteries that affect heart function.
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Minimally invasive compared to open-heart surgeries like CABG.
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Shorter recovery time, often allowing patients to return home the same or next day.
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Immediate relief from symptoms like chest pain.
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Can be done as an emergency procedure during a heart attack.
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Re-narrowing of the artery (restenosis), especially in cases where a stent is not used or a non-drug-eluting stent is placed.
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Blood clots forming within the stent.
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Bleeding at the catheter insertion site.
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Rare complications include heart attack, stroke, or damage to the coronary artery.
Recovery
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Most patients can resume normal activities within a week or so.
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Medications, including blood thinners, may be prescribed to prevent blood clots from forming in the stent.
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Lifestyle changes and cardiac rehabilitation are often recommended to improve heart health.