Stent Placement
A stent is a tiny wire mesh tube that is used to prop open an artery. A stent is commonly used along with
angioplasty and/or
plaque removal. In this procedure, a stent is placed over a balloon catheter and then moved into the area of the blockage. When the balloon is inflated, the stent expands and locks into place, holding open the artery. The stent remains in the artery permanently, improving blood flow to the heart muscle and relieving chest pain.
A stent reduces the chances that an artery will narrow again after an angioplasty and/or plaque removal. Newer types of stents are coated with medication that is slowly released and helps to keep the blood vessel from closing up again.
Stenting may be particularly beneficial for women. In a large study of
heart attack patients, women who received a stent were less likely to suffer a major heart complication during the following year, and also less likely to need a repeat procedure than those who received balloon angioplasty without stenting.
Coronary Bypass Surgery
Heart
bypass surgery (also known as
open heart surgery or coronary artery bypass graft surgery) uses arteries or veins from other areas in your body to bypass your diseased coronary arteries. It can improve blood flow to your heart, relieve chest pain, and possibly
prevent a heart attack.
Angioplasty or bypass surgery may be used for
atherosclerosis treatment if:
- Medications and lifestyle changes have not improved your symptoms
- Your symptoms are worsening.
Some people may need to have angioplasty or bypass surgery on an emergency basis during a heart attack to limit damage to the heart.
Two recently developed types of bypass surgery do not require use of the heart-lung machine. These include
off-pump bypass surgery and minimally invasive coronary artery bypass.
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