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Interventional Cardiology Treatments
AngioplastyAngioplasty is a common medical procedure in the United States, with more than 1 million performed each year. Because this procedure is less invasive than traditional heart bypass surgery, angioplasties have become the treatment of choice for opening arteries clogged with fatty build-up—the condition known as atherosclerosis. Treatment During angioplasty, cardiologists thread a catheter into the narrowed portion of an artery. They then inflate a small balloon, compressing the fatty build-up against the artery’s wall. This enlarges the channel where blood flows. Many times they also use a stent, a tiny mesh tube crafted from metal that acts as scaffolding inside the artery, to help prop it open. StentingA stent is a wire metal mesh tube used to prop open an artery during angioplasty. Of the more than 1 million angioplasties performed each year, 70 percent include stenting. Treatment The stent is collapsed and placed over a balloon catheter and moved into the area of the blockage. When the balloon is inflated, the stent expands. It then locks in place and forms a scaffold that holds the artery open. The stent stays in the artery permanently, improving blood flow to the heart and relieving symptoms. Within a few weeks, the inside lining of the artery grows over the metal surface of the stent. In some patients, placing the stent itself irritates the vessel. This can cause scar tissue that re-narrows the artery, called restenosis. To help prevent restenosis, surgeons Because they are less costly and less invasive than heart bypass surgery, may use new generation stents coated with drugs that are slowly released and help keep the blood vessel from reclosing. Coronary Artery RadiotherapyCoronary artery radiotherapy is a new procedure that uses low-dose radiation to prevent recurring blockages of the coronary arteries. This inpatient procedure takes place during angioplasty. Treatment During coronary artery radiotherapy, the cardiologist performs an angioplasty. A radiation oncologist then administers radiation through a device that contains radioactive pellets. This unit is attached to a catheter similar to the one used during routine angioplasty and placed in the treated artery. Without directly contacting the tissue, the pellets radiate the vessel from inside the catheter for 2 to 5 minutes. The radiation damages the rapidly dividing cells that form scar tissue. Without scar tissue, the stented arteries remain open and blood can again flow freely. This procedure is an ongoing collaborative effort between Shands at UF cardiologists and radiation oncologists. Their successful clinical research led to the development and approval of this innovative and effective therapy. Coronary Rotational AtherectomyCoronary rotational atherectomy is a procedure that is similar to angioplasty, where a catheter with a balloon at its end is inserted and inflated to open a blocked artery. Sometimes, however, the blockage in the artery has calcified, or hardened. In this case, the angioplasty is unable to work against the plaque. During rotational atherectomy the plaque is ground into minuscule particles, which is then cleaned from the bloodstream. Treatment The cardiologists use a special catheter that has an egg-shaped metal burr on its tip. This burr rotates between 140,000 and 200,000 times per minute, breaking up the plaque and ablating, or destroying, it. This process lasts no more than 15 to 20 seconds. Tests are performed and then the rotation process is repeated several times. Angioplasty and stenting may also be combined with this procedure. Septal AbalationSeptal ablation is used to treat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This rare condition is caused by a thickened heart muscle. The thickening makes it harder for the heart to work. The condition is usually inherited, and younger people are likely to have a more severe form of the disease. Some patients have no symptoms, and may not even realize they have the condition until it is found during a routine medical exam. Unfortunately, the first symptom of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy among many young patients is sudden collapse and possible death, caused by very abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a major cause of death in young athletes who seem completely healthy, but die during heavy exercise. Treatment Treatment options for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy depend upon the heart condition and severity of symptoms, and include medication, implanting a pacemaker or automatic defibrillator or surgery. Septal ablation is minimally invasive and is done during a heart catheterization. Patients are awake, although they may be given sedatives to help them relax. Catheters are used to implant a temporary pacemaker as a safety measure. An angiography is used to visualize the blood vessels and small arteries of the heart that carry blood to the thickened area that is causing problems. Once the blood vessels of the thickened area have been identified, alcohol is injected into the catheter. Alcohol is toxic to the heart muscle and it destroys the tissue in the thickened area. Over time, the tissue scars and shrinks, decreasing the obstruction to blood flow and improving symptoms. InformationFor more information about Heart Care at Shands at UF or to make an appointment, call 800.749.7424 or 352.265.8000. |
Heart Care at Shands at UFNoninvasive Cardiology and Imaging Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery About Your HeartHeart Health - Multimedia, HealthCasts and more About Heart Care at Shands at UFLocations, Maps and Directions Make an AppointmentTo make an appointment or find out more information about heart care services offered at Shands at the University of Florida, please call 352.265.8000 or toll-free 1.800.749.7424 You may also email our Consultation Center (consult@shands.ufl.edu) or use our secure online form. |
