Angioplasty and Stents

Treatments and technologies have witnessed a new dimension with medical innovation giving a new buzz. Angioplasty is a major breakthrough; the technique involves widening of a narrowed or blocked blood vessel mechanically. Doctors recommend angioplasty chiefly for atherosclerosis, a condition building up of fatty materials thickens the artery walls affecting blood vessels of arteries. Angioplasty may be performed in the context of renal, coronary, carotid, and more related to arterial blood vessels.

Many cardiac patients go for angioplasty as it is a non-surgical procedure. The interventional procedures used during an angioplasty are use of balloon, stent, rotoblation, atherectomy, and cutting balloon. Using of the stent has seen more popularity than the other interventional procedures. Angioplasty medicated stent is placed usually during the angioplasty procedure to help keep the coronary artery open. A stent is usually a small, metal mesh tube that expands inside a coronary artery; stents may range from angioplasty cypher stent to angioplasty medicated stent. The purpose of both the stents is to help prevent re-blockage of the artery.

Angioplasty with medicated stent has its side effects too. As a catheter gets inserted with X-ray dye inside the tube, the patient may face possible complications. Coronary angioplasty medicated stent may cause allergic reaction in some patients.