Coronary Angioplasty / Stent Placement
Coronary angioplasty is recommended when fatty deposits have narrowed or blocked one or more of the coronary arteries which supply blood to the heart. It is a non-surgical technique used to open or widen the narrowed coronary arteries. It can relieve symptoms of coronary artery disease by improving the flow of blood to the heart muscle.
During coronary angioplasty, a special catheter (a long, thin, flexible tube) with a small balloon at the tip is guided into the diseased artery. When the catheter reaches the narrow portion of the artery, the balloon is inflated, stretching the artery and flattening the fatty deposits against the artery's wall.
Sometimes one or more stents is implanted during a coronary angioplasty procedure. A stent is a small, metal coil or mesh structure that is placed in a collapsing artery to hold it open. The stent is mounted on a balloon catheter and delivered to the site of the blockage. When the stent is inflated (deployed), it expands and is pressed against the inner wall of the coronary artery. After the balloon is deflated and removed, the stent remains in place, keeping the artery open. The physician may use more than one stent, depending on the length of the diseased segment. Once in place, the stent conforms to the shape, size and bends of the vessel. Eventually, the artery wall grows around the stent as it continues supporting the coronary artery.
After the procedure, patients who receive stents are given a "Patient Information Card" to carry with them. This card gives limited information about the stent(s) they received, and should be shown whenever they undergo dental or medical treatment.
For More Information Contact:
Southern Illinois Heart Institute
211 South Third Street, Belleville, Il 62220
Tel: 1-800-676-SIHI (7444)
Internet: info@sihi.org
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