Coronary Angioplasty - Lybrate

1. Coronary Angioplasty --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What Happens During a Coronary Angioplasty The coronary arteries are responsible for keeping the heart healthy and ensure that blood keeps getting pumped into the heart but in some people the coronary arteries become blocked or narrow down due to fatty deposits called atheroma which builds up within the artery walls. Such people have to undergo a procedure known as coronary angioplasty which helps the blood supply to reach the heart by widening narrowed coronary arteries and allowing blood to flow through again. Angioplasty is also used as an emergency treatment for people who’ve had a heart attack. Before this takes place, you’ll have an angiogram to look inside your arteries and see how much blockage is there. An angioplasty normally takes between 30 minutes and two hours, although it can take longer. At the start of the procedure you'll be given a local anaesthetic to numb the area. Once this is done, a catheter – a fine, flexible, hollow tube – is passed into an artery in either your groin or your arm. The tip of the catheter contains a small inflatable balloon and a small tube of stainless steel mesh called a stent.

2. The catheter contains dye which helps to show the arteries on an X-ray screen and this in turn helps to show the narrowing in your arteries and the severity of the problem. When the dye is inserted, it is a normal to feel a hot flushing sensation. The catheter makes it way up to the heart and into a coronary artery where it reaches a narrow or blocked section. The balloon on the end of the catheter is gently inflated so that it squashes the fatty deposits (the atheroma) against the artery wall and thus widens the artery. The inflated balloon means an inflated stent too which now acts as a scaffold and holds open the artery. Once the stent is in place, the balloon is deflated and removed. If you feel unwell or have pain at any point during the procedure, alert the team immediately. It is not uncommon to feel palpitation. Once angioplasty is over, the catheters are removed. It is not uncommon for a small amount of bleeding to happen at times, when they are taken out. Don’t worry the doctors or the nurses will ensure that bleeding stops. You will need to stay in bed for a while after the procedure. You might feel some discomfort in the chest during the first few hours after the surgery. If this happens, tell the doctor or the nurse. Most people are allowed to go home the same day, but patients who were admitted as emergency cases need to stay in the hospital for longer. Once you are back home, you can expect to see some redness and tenderness around the area where the catheter was inserted. However, if the bruising or tenderness worsens, contact your doctor. It is normal to feel tired for a few days after your surgery but most people find that they‘re back to normal after a few days. Although, in case of a heart attack, it will take longer to recover. Do not do any demanding activities such as heavy lifting and do not drive for at least a week after having angioplasty and longer if you have had a heart attack. Contact Details: Address: 12/1, Vatika Mindspaces, Mathura Rd, Sector 27D, Faridabad, Haryana 121003 Phone: 090155 59900 Websites: https://www.lybrate.com Face book: https://www.facebook.com/lybrate Twitter: https://twitter.com/lybrate LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lybrate Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+Lybrate Follow this Link: https://www.lybrate.com/topic/coronary-angioplasty