An angioplasty or PTCA (which stands for percutaneous coronary artery angioplasty) is a surgical procedure in which a catheter is inserted into a partially blocked coronary artery. A balloon is on the tip of the catheter and is inflated, opening up the area that is blocked. After that, a metal stent is usually inserted to keep the blood vessel patent.
Angioplasties are usually done to lessen chest pain caused by a lack of oxygenation to the heart or to decrease the damage to the heart after a heart attack. As a person ages, plaque can build up on the inner lining of the coronary arteries. This is also known as “atherosclerosis”.
While atherosclerosis generally involves all of the arteries in the body, it is more dangerous in the coronary arteries because the heart generally has just one blood vessel supplying a given area of heart muscle. There is no redundancy in the heart muscle circulation.
The plaque in the coronary arteries can rupture, causing a blood clot that can lead to a heart attack or angina. Large blood clots can completely occlude the coronary artery, leading to a heart attack. In order to avoid this complication, an angioplasty is often performed.
The angioplasty can restore adequate blood flow to the heart. When the catheter is passed into the narrowed artery and inflated, the blood flows better through the coronary artery. When the stent is given, there is a decreased chance of having the plaque collapse, narrowing the coronary artery again.
Angioplasty goes by several names, including:
After having the angioplasty, the patient is often moved to a postoperative coronary care unit. The average patient stay can be as little as a few hours to as much as an overnight stay. The patient is asked to be still for a few hours after the procedure so that the site of the incision made in the arm or groin is allowed to clot and to begin to heal.
After recovery, your vital signs will be assessed on a regular basis. This includes measuring the patient’s temperature, oxygenation, heart rate, and blood pressure. The incision in the arm or groin is assessed to make sure it does not begin to bleed again. The incision site may be sore for a few days.
Most patients go home the day after the angioplasty. Post-procedure instructions will be given, including instructions on the level of activity recommended, a follow-up date, medications to take after the procedure, how to check for infection, and when to call the doctor (if there are complications).
Most patients recover well after an angioplasty and can continue working after a week of rest. The doctor will likely schedule a follow-up appointment after the patient leaves the hospital. This appointment is to assess the heart function, and to make sure there is no additional chest pain or other discomfort.
Because the angioplasty can lessen the symptoms of coronary artery disease (CAD), the patient will have a better exercise intolerance. An angioplasty can help the symptoms of CAD but does not cure the problem or the risk factors that led to the blockage in the first place. This is why lifestyle changes are so important to the recovery of the patient after the procedure. Some lifestyle changes include lessening stress, losing weight, staying active, quitting smoking, and changing the diet to become healthier.
The cardiologist may recommend the patient undergo cardiac rehabilitation or “cardiac rehab”. This is an exercise program involving education on living a healthy lifestyle, exercises to improve cardiac function, and stress reduction counseling.
The procedure is usually done in a hospital and is performed by a cardiologist who specializes in diseases of the heart. If it isn’t an emergency angioplasty, you will have a pre-procedure appointment at which time the cardiologist will go over the patient’s medical history, family history, and medications, and will perform a physical examination. Blood tests, EKG evaluations, and chest x-rays will be done before the procedure.
The cardiologist will advise the patient as to when to fast before the procedure (which is usually 6-8 hours’ pre-procedure), what medications can be taken on the day of the procedure, and when to arrive at the hospital.
The coronary angioplasty is usually done when the patient has blocked or narrowed coronary arteries from plaque buildup with the arteries. Angioplasty is just one of several procedures that can be done to reverse blockages in the arteries leading to the heart. If the angioplasty fails, the patient may need to have a bypass surgery performed.
The advantages to having an angioplasty include a shorter recovery period, the lack of need for general anesthesia, and the fact that it doesn’t require an open heart surgical procedure. Not everyone will benefit from having the procedure and will need to have a coronary artery bypass instead.
After the angioplasty, the patient will have better oxygenation to the heart and will begin to recover. The incision site will be manually pressed upon to stop the bleeding. The patient should be able to ambulate with help within 4-6 hours after the procedure and usually remains in the hospital for observation overnight. Some patients can go home several hours after the angioplasty and will not need to have an overnight stay.
Medications may be prescribed after the procedure that will help the heart to function better and to help decrease the chances that the narrowed area of the blood vessel will form a clot. This may mean taking aspirin or other blood thinner after the procedure. Lifestyle changes will be recommended.
The complication rate of an angioplasty is very low and much lower than having a coronary artery bypass surgery. While it doesn’t cure coronary artery disease, the angioplasty can be a good option for patients who need to have better oxygenation of the heart muscle but don’t want to have a big procedure.
Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty PTCA is known as a procedure used to repair coronary artery dysfunction; due to artery blockage which leads to inhibit blood supply that reaching the heart muscle. Doctors usually insert a catheter through one of the main blood vessels in the arm or the thigh, then reach the blocked area of the coronary arteries and install a special stent that allows the blood circulation in the heart of the patient to return to work properly.
Treatment in Jordan takes approximately "5 days".
A cardiothoracic surgeon may decide to perform a PCTA for a patient because of:
After a diagnosis of a coronary artery disease and deciding a coronary angioplasty, a cardiovascular surgeon asks for series of tests before the procedure is scheduled, including:
Despite the high rates of success of the surgery and its ability to repair the defect to a large extent, but like most surgeries, it may include some of the risks that the patient may suffer after the surgery, such as:
This surgery consists of three main stages, including:
The patient is usually informed by his cardiologist of the date of the pre-operative examinations, after receiving the results and evaluating them by the surgeon and taking an appointment of the surgery, it is required to fast for food and drink for about 6 to 8 hours before the surgery. In addition to informing him of the type of medications he must take on the day of the surgery, also to notifying him of the date of arrival to the hospital to complete the check-in process.
The wound from which the catheter was inserted is closed by pressing it with cotton to avoid bleeding.
A cardiothoracic surgeon often prefers that the patient stays in hospital for monitoring, but he can walk around 4 to 6 hours after surgery with assistance. Some patients can go home several hours after the surgery if the surgeon approves, depending on their general health.
As with most surgical surgeries, a patient's recovery after the surgery and a return to normal activities require a series of tips that may help him to return to his former life faster. In the case of coronary artery catheterization, the patient is advised to follow:
© 2024 - tebcan LLC. All Rights Reserved