Angioplasty And Vascular Stenting

What are 'angioplasty' and 'vascular stenting'?

Angioplasty and vascular stenting are procedures that are performed in order to open up narrowed or closed blood vessels.

How do angioplasty and vascular stenting differ?

Balloon angioplasty and vascular stenting are used in conjunction. There are times in which we will place a stent without previously performing a balloon angioplasty. There are also times in which we perform a balloon angioplasty without placing a stent. That depends on location of an area of vascular narrowing or depending on the appearance of a particular blood vessel.

How are angioplasty and vascular stenting performed?

They involve for balloon angioplasty placement of a special kind of a thin plastic tubing, a catheter, onto which is mounted a special kind of a balloon. These balloons are graded to open up only to a given diameter. That results in safety so that the balloon doesn't over expand a blood vessel causing it to potentially rupture if it were over expanded. By opening up the blood vessel, we can then stretch it and then actually partially tear it in a controlled fashion so that it stays open. In some instances and in certain parts of the body what's used routinely is the associated use of what are called stents. And these are cylindrical metal pieces that provide scaffolding to hold a blood vessel open once once it has expanded to an open diameter.

Are there risks involved in angioplasty and vascular stenting?

Some of the risks that are associated with Brunei angioplasty and stenting include the possibility, although rare, of rapture the blood vessel or sudden closure of the blood vessel and occasionally the material that is pushed away can get loose and they can go free into the blood vessel and travel with the blood stream causing what we call ablation. These particles, they travel down stream can potentially block smaller blood vessels that can limit blood flowing to various body parts.

What can I expect from angioplasty and vascular stenting?

What a patient can expect when having balloon angioplasty or stenting performed is the possibility of mild pressure, while the balloon angioplasty is being performed. Other than that, very little pain should be experienced by the patient.

What does angioplasty and vascular stenting equipment look like?

The equipment that is used for balloon Angioplasty and Stinting, is very very small in caliber. That allows us to enter the blood vessels by way of extremely small openings. That's why this is one of the procedures that we classify as being minimally invasive. The devices that we use are all mounted on very very small caliber thin plastic tubes which we call catheters.

What is the result of angioplasty and vascular stenting?

What can frequently be expected to result from a balloon angioplasty and stenting that are preformed successfully is restoration of the blood flow to the body part that was affected by the narrowed or blocked blood vessel.

What can I expect after angioplasty and vascular stenting?

The recovery time that's required for angioplasty and stenting is usually bed rest for one day. We also recommend that the patients take it easy in gradually restoring their normal activities.