Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty

Thursday, December 29th, 2011 at 8:24 am

Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty

What Is Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty?

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When talking about angioplasty, the terms coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis are usually linked to it. This is because people who develop atherosclerosis are the ones who need this type of procedure.

Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty

Atherosclerosis is a condition where in the blood vessels where blood passes become thick due to fatty deposits in the wall. When this happens, there will be insufficient blood supply going to the heart which will then result to coronary heart disease.

The function of angioplasty in general is to make a way for blood to pass through the vessels easily even with plaque buildups on the walls with the use of special devices.

This procedure uses different types of approaches like using balloons to expand the vessels, this is called Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty, attaching a stent which pushes through the plaque, called coronary stenting, using lasers to cut out the deposits from the wall, called laser angioplasty and using blades or drills which is usually done to those who have very calcified plaques which may not be treated with the said procedures earlier, is called coronary atherectomy.

The most common procedure done is the Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty wherein after doing a flouroscopy, a procedure done using a special X ray and dye that would determine the site where blockages are present, a balloon is inserted through the vein using a special catheter. When the balloon is in place, it will be inflated, allowing it to push through the arterial walls which contain the plaques.

During this procedure, doctors will also be looking at other blood vessels to determine if there are others which are blocked. Most commonly, people who get Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty are also treated using atherectomy, or the removal of plaque inside the veins but one downfall for this procedure is the heightened risks of developing heart failure during the operation.

Before trying out procedures, make sure that you would ask doctors about safety, after care and possible side effects. The more you know about the procedure which is to be done, the more likely you will make the best decision. Asking them about significant information most especially for people who have other conditions other than heart problems, getting advises from doctors should always be considered.

Ask them also about other options to treat their condition since surgeries may develop infection on the site of incision. Don’t be afraid to gather information from doctors, reviews given by those who have undergone the procedure and for others who knows about this method.