What exactly is Angioplasty, and how is it performed?
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), also known as Angioplasty, is an interventional treatment used to remove a blockage in the coronary arteries of the heart and restore healthy blood flow. To do this treatment, a catheter with a balloon and a stent is occasionally put into the arm or leg in one of the arteries going to the heart and slowly guided in position.
Why is Angioplasty performed?
The heart, like any other organ or component of the body, requires a steady flow of oxygen-rich blood to operate properly. This is supplied by the coronary arteries. Because of the underlying condition, cholesterol deposition occurs on the arterial walls over time, narrowing the arteries and reducing blood flow in them. Coronary Artery Disease is the medical term for this illness.
Fat deposits, combined with cellular debris and other chemicals, build and solidify over time in certain CAD patients, forming a plaque. Atherosclerosis is the medical term for this illness. Both of these diseases are treated by angioplasty. However, if there are several blockages or other medical reasons, the doctor may perform Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), sometimes known as ‘bypass surgery.’
Vascular Stenting
The doctor may opt to place a stent there depending on the degree of the blockage and the danger of future obstruction. The stent is a metallic wire mesh that may or may not be coated with medication. The stent is wrapped around the balloon, and as the balloon inflates, the stent is forced against the artery walls and is fixed in place long after the balloon deflates. The stent is coated with medicine that slowly releases and prevents a new blockage from building at that location.
Following the process
Depending on your situation, the physicians may recommend that you stay in the hospital for one or more days. During this time, your heart rate is monitored and medicines are changed. Lifting large goods or vigorous work is prohibited for up to a week. After about a week, you may resume your normal routine and life.