"Angiogram" long term side effects?

Question

Are there any potential long term adverse effects (i.e.., arterial blockage) which can result from arterial damage caused during an "angiogram"? I may have the terminology wrong--what I am calling an "angiogram" was a procedure involving a catheter being inserted into the arteries, and dye being inserted to check for blockage. One of the arteries was stretched severely during this procedure, and then this exact same area (which had no blockage whatsoever at the time of the "angiogram") subsequently became totally occluded, and caused a massive heart attack. After a stent was inserted following the heart attack, subsequent studies revealed that the patient had no blockage whatsoever, anywhere else. This caused our concern that a possible injury to this artery during the earlier procedure caused some damage to the interior of this artery, and resulted in an area which proved more prone to have subsequent blockage occur.

Answer 1

Risks of having a catheterization or angiography:
This topic will help you out:
1) The competency on part of the Surgeon/Physician is very important.
2)Cardiac catheterization and angiography are relatively safe, but because they are invasive procedures involving the heart, several complications are possible. Nobody should have a cardiac catheterization unless there is a reasonable likelihood that the information gained from the procedure will be of significant benefit.

Minor complications of cardiac catheterization include minor bleeding at the site of catheter insertion, temporary heart rhythm disturbances caused by the catheter irritating the heart muscle, and temporary changes in the blood pressure.

More significant complications include perforation of the heart wall (causing a life-threatening condition called cardiac tamponade), sudden blockage of a coronary artery (leading to a heart attack), extensive bleeding, stroke, or an allergic reaction to the dye used in angiography.

Answer 2

I'll start by saying anything is possible and nothing is without some risk. Having said that, it is very unlikely that the angiogram precipitated the heart attack unless it happened within a week of the procedure at the most. An angiogram per se does not involve any stretching of an artery - if it did, then you had an angioplasty which implies you had blockage at that point.

So how can a normal angiogram several months before result in a heart attack now? It is well known that certain unstable plaques, with thin fiborous caps and lipid cores, can rupture and cause a severe acute event (heart attack). The rub is that on angiogram these lesions often are 30-40% blockages that would not otherwise warrant corrective therapy. This is a failing that is being studied. Sometime in the future we may have imagining that will give us a cross section of the lesions - to know which are high risk and which are not.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

Answer 3

I've had four angiograms.

Having an artery stretched during the procedure sounds highly unlikely. Almost the whole thing is recorded for later review. I have some severe swollen sections, but they occurred prior to even the first angiogram.

The only complication I have heard of is an arterial puncture. Arteries are somewhat flexible naturally, and stretch from increased blood pressure.

The guide wire used is very thin relative to the size of the arteries. I can't imagine how what you are describing could happen. I have copies of my angiograms which I have reviewed, most recently last week.

Blockages take a long time to develop. If a total blockage, a stent can't be inserted unless the blockage is first dissolved.

You sound like an ambulance chasing lawyer trying to invent a case.

Answer 4

Angiogram Side Effects

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
"Angiogram" long term side effects?
Are there any potential long term adverse effects (i.e.., arterial blockage) which can result from arterial damage caused during an "angiogram"? I may have the terminology wrong--what I am calling an "angiogram" was a procedure involving a catheter being inserted into the...

Answer 6

Angiography Side Effects

Answer 7

Any invasive procedure will have some small non-zero risk. Sometimes the body will react to such trauma in a way that no one can predict. In general, angiogram is considered a well-established and fairly safe procedure and the benefits outweigh the risks.

Even a simple intravenous injection can cause problems with our health sometimes.

Answer 8

It can happen. A fellow at work had a nightmare which resulted in bypass surgery then they had to re-plumb the major arteries from his groin to the shoulder because an artery got nicked. Ended up in a lawsuit.

Suggest you find a new Doctor.