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Angioplasty surgery is one of India's most advanced treatment procedures that have helped millions cure artery blockages. This article highlights all the crucial aspects of angioplasty, which will help to create awareness for the people seeking solutions.
The angioplasty procedure is primarily performed for the improvement of blood flow in coronary arteries which have been blocked. The function of coronary arteries is to transfer oxygen-filled blood to the heart. In most cases, the interruption of this transfer is due to plaque formation, which is a barrier that builds up around the coronary arteries.
Angioplasty treats the chronic formation of plaque which is a combination of fat and cholesterol. This condition is atherosclerosis and can occur in any part of a body consisting of arteries. Here is a list of common diseases that instigates the need for angioplasty surgery:
All these ailments mentioned above are the most common conditions for which doctors across the world suggest angioplasty patients. However, there are other rare conditions for which this surgical procedure can take place.
There are predominantly two types of Angioplasty that one can opt for.
In stent angioplasty, a stent or tube made of wire mesh is placed in the opened space of the channel, that holds the artery from shutting or narrowing again. Most of the stents are covered with medication to prevent the scar tissue from starting the frame inside the stent. These stents, known as drug-eluting stents (DES), discharge medication inside the vein, easing back the growth of tissue inside it.
In a balloon angioplasty, a specially designed catheter is placed towards the blockage and is then inflated to extend the opening. It helps to clear plaque and keep arteries blockage free. Doctors opt for balloon angioplasty when they cannot place a stent. This type of angioplasty acts like a platform to keep the vein open and facilitates the bloodstream.
One must prepare themselves in the following ways to see a significant outcome.
Though angioplasty does not include any serious complications, however, there can be some additional risks. People going through a coronary artery bypass graft soon after or before angioplasty procedures might experience some discomfort like blood clotting, bleeding, infection in the wounded area, chest pain, etc.
Apart from this, there are other complications that patients undergoing angioplasty experience as follows:
The complications mentioned above are extremely prevalent in older people who already have several conditions of multiple arteries blockages, kidney ailments, or a history of a heart attack. Moreover, these health conditions make angioplasty surgery difficult. To prevent this, one can start maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and consumption of food that will lower saturated fats and trans fat. One can successfully achieve great health by adding good habits and mindfulness to daily activities.
Before beginning an angioplasty procedure, a specialist doctor will recommend you stop drinking or eating for a few hours. The patients can choose the angioplasty schedule and plan accordingly as per their condition.
Before this procedure, a patient must communicate any previous prescription medicine they are consuming for other complications to the doctors. A healthcare professional will also find out if a patient is allergic to any elements. Finally, a doctor will put an IV in the arm to start the medication to prevent blood clotting.
Angioplasty surgery for blockage of coronary arteries or any other arteries occurs in the same way. The only difference is the placement of a catheter or tube in different arteries depending on the blockage. Here is the following step-by-step process of the angioplasty procedure that most doctors perform:
Step 1: In this initial step, a tube or catheter passes into blood vessels through the skin. This tube is either placed in the wrist or groin (an area between the lower abdomen and the upper thigh). The patient passes through anaesthesia or sedation to prevent any sensation of the tube passing through the skin.
Step 2: The specialist doctor uses X-rays to locate the exact spot of blocked coronary or peripheral arteries for putting a catheter through the blood vessels. A patient undergoing this procedure might feel warm due to the passing of dye material to see the blood vessels clearly.
Step 3: Once a doctor notices an actual area, a specialist doctor will put another catheter with the balloon at the end.
Step 4: The catheter with the balloon is inflated inside an affected artery. This moves the plaque to the side of a wall and makes a passage for the blood to pass through. Doctors might put a stent which is a mesh-like metal scaffold which helps to keep an artery open upon the removal of the balloon.
In this angioplasty surgery, once the stent is put inside the artery, it expands and locks in the same position enabling continuous oxygen flow. The doctors coat this stent with necessary medication, which prevents this instrument from narrowing down.
If a patient is getting this surgical procedure for the blockage of the peripheral artery, the inflated balloon contains medications for the artery wall. After the completion of a surgical procedure, a doctor performs an angiogram showing an X-ray image of blood vessels to check the before and after the blood flow condition.
After the completion of a surgical procedure, a doctor may ask a patient to stay in observation to monitor vital areas like the insertion site, blood circulation or healing capacity of the insertion area. This can initiate the patient to stay in a hospital after a surgical procedure.
A patient with this surgical procedure must follow the same:
Apart from this, a doctor will advise drinking plenty of water and other fluids to help the dye exit from the body. In addition, a proper diet and necessary medication are necessary for a speedy recovery.
Individuals must reach out to the doctor if they see the following symptoms.
In case the symptoms are grave and are not curable even after opting for conservative therapy, one must opt for angioplasty.
The most effective alternative to standard angioplasty is a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). In this type of surgery, grafts (parts of healthy blood vessels) that are generally taken from arteries of arms, chest etc. are used to form a new channel. These new channels are then used to transfer blood to the part where the artery is blocked. Through these alternatives, more blood can be pumped into the heart muscle.
There are no serious threats of heart attack or stroke related to this procedure. CABG is generally recommended if numerous arteries are narrowed and blocked. However, before opting for this method, one must be well versed in the ins and outs of the technique. The recovery time for a coronary artery bypass graft is generally longer than that of coronary angioplasty.
Types of Angioplasty |
Cost of Surgery in India (May vary across cities) |
Stents angioplasty |
Approximately ₹ 1.2 lakhs to ₹ 1.6 lakhs |
Balloon angioplasty |
Approximately ₹ 1.2 lakhs to ₹ 3.68 lakhs |