Angioplasty?

Question

Does anyone know if an angioplasty stent operation a safe proceedure. That is where they put a ballon in the heart artery to push out the plaque and then leave a stent in. Does anyone know someone whose had one? Thanks- Just wondering!

Answer 1

It's a relatively safe procedure, and it sure beats the alternative of having a heart attack. I work for a cardiologist that puts stents in on a daily basis, and there are very few complications. It's quite routine, really. Your doctor will go over risks and benefits with you before having this done. There is a small risk of heart attack or stroke with this procedure. I have worked in this field for about 4 years now, and I'd say about 1 in 500 will have a complication. There is a risk of bleeding as well where they go in the femoral (groin) or brachial (arm) artery, but if you follow instructions after the procedure is completed, likely you won't have any problems.

I would just check and make sure the hospital you are having this done in, has an open heart program as well, typically that means they do a lot of these procedures yearly.

Also, once you receive a stent, depending on the type you get, you will be on a medication called Plavix which helps keep the stent open. Ask your doctor for details.

Good luck, hope this helps.

Answer 2

There has been a high rate of stent failure in the past, which has caused some recent changes to the way stents are made and the way they are coated. Since the changes are recent, there isn't much long-term info available, so people receiving stents at this time are guinea pigs. My dad had a stent and died two years later because the stent clogged up - that was the older type of stent. He had the option of by-pass surgery and was talked into the stent - this turned out to be a fatal mistake.

Answer 3

It's a hell of a lot safer than having a clogged artery, which is a heart attack.
Recent studies have shown that stents treated with medication aren't superior to the ones that aren't.
Angioplasty doesn't push the plaque out; it squishes it in place. Trust me, if the plaque was knocked loose, it would lodge in an artery in the brain and cause a stroke.

Answer 4

It is safe. My hubby has had 4 stents put in at different times. It might not be the things that we would choose to have done, but it sure helps to save lives.He has also had a defibrilator/pacemaker put in and the batteries had to be changed as well as the entire defibrilator.Believe me when I tell you that if not for the ICD he would have been dead 5 yrs ago.Listen to the cardiologist and he will tell you the truth about safety and problems that could go wrong.