Heart Angioplasty

What is heart angioplasty?

Heart angioplasty is a minimally invasive treatment that opens and enlarges the blood vessels that support your heart, including your coronary artery. The physicians at Lone Star Heart and Vascular Center offer several different types of angioplasty, using balloons, stents, and clot-dissolving medicine to open your blood vessels. 

Why would I need heart angioplasty?

The physicians at Lone Star Heart and Vascular Center use heart angioplasty to treat conditions like atherosclerosis and other blockages. Atherosclerosis occurs when plaque builds up on the inside of your arteries, causing them to become hard and narrow. 

In most cases, the doctors try noninvasive treatments such as medication and lifestyle changes before recommending angioplasty to address persistent chest pain and other symptoms. They also use angioplasty as a rapid treatment for a heart attack. 

What happens during heart angioplasty?

Angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that involves a catheter. Your physician provides a sedative to help you stay relaxed during the surgery and a local anesthetic at the insertion point.

Your doctor makes a small cut in your groin and inserts the catheter. They use X-rays to guide the catheter into the blocked or narrowed blood vessel. 

When the catheter is in place, your doctor sends a thin wire through the catheter. They use the wire to inflate a small surgical balloon or inject medication in your blood vessel. Both of these methods expand blocked or narrowed blood vessels.

After opening the blood vessel, your doctor might place a stent. A stent is a tiny mesh device that acts as scaffolding, holding your blood vessel open, allowing blood to flow to your heart. 

What should I expect after heart angioplasty?

When your procedure is complete, the surgical team moves you to a recovery unit. Most patients stay in the hospital for a day or two after angioplasty to ensure the success of the angioplasty. 

You might have some tenderness at the incision site in your groin, but any discomfort should subside quickly. Your doctor provides personalized aftercare instructions when they release you to recover at home. 

For example, they might prescribe medication for high blood pressure or high cholesterol or provide instructions on adding physical activity into your day and a healthy diet. They schedule a follow-up appointment and explain any signs that could indicate a problem that needs immediate medical attention. 

You should be able to return to work and most of your regular activities within a week.

Call Lone Star Heart and Vascular Center, or make an appointment online today, to learn more about heart angioplasty and how it can improve your health.