Angioplasty and stent

As an interventional cardiologist, Dr Thakersee regularly performs minimally invasive catheter-type procedures such as coronary angioplasty and stents. These procedures are used to widen or hold open narrow blood vessels.

An angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure. During an angioplasty procedure the patient is put under sedation. They will receive fluids and medications to thin their blood and help them to relax. A thin, balloon-tipped tube, called a balloon catheter and a guidewire is inserted into a major blood vessel; usually through an incision in the groin. Tiny cameras, Xrays or an angiogram are used to carefully guide the instruments in real-time to the affected blood vessel. The guidewire is pushed into and over the blockage and the balloon catheter follows. The balloon tip is inflated, which presses and flattens the plaque against the wall of the artery, widening it and boosting blood flow to the heart. The balloon catheter is then carefully deflated and gently removed.

A stent is a tiny tube made of metal mesh, fabric or plastic, that is inserted into an artery. The stent acts as a support structure that helps to keep a blood vessel open. Stents can be installed independently, or during or immediately after an angioplasty. The combined procedure begins the same way as an angioplasty. Both the balloon catheter and the stent are inserted into a blood vessel through an incision in the groin. The balloon is inflated at the blockage site, and the stent is left permanently installed in the expanded vessel. The balloon is then deflated and carefully withdrawn, and blood is able to flow through more freely. Stents can also be coated with medication that aids in dissolving blockages. A stent can become blocked or damaged, just like blood vessels can, but the benefits outweigh the risks associated with getting one, as limited blood flow can have serious or even fatal consequences.