Specialities

CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY

Coronary angioplasty is a medical procedure in which a balloon is used to open a blockage in a coronary (heart) artery narrowed by atherosclerosis. This procedure improves blood flow to the heart. Atherosclerosis is a condition in which a material called plaque builds up on the inner walls of the arteries. This can happen in any artery, including the coronary arteries, which carry oxygen-rich blood to your heart. When atherosclerosis affects the coronary arteries, the condition is called Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

Coronary angioplasty is used to Reduce damage to the heart muscle from a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when blood flow through a coronary artery is completely blocked. Angioplasty is used during a heart attack to open the blockage and restore blood flow through the artery. It is also used to treat angina , a condition arising due to decreased blood supply to heart muscle due to blockage in coronary attery.

Coronary angioplasty is a common medical procedure. Although angioplasty is normally safe, there is a small risk of serious complications, such as:
1. Bleeding from the blood vessel where the catheter was placed.
2. Damage to blood vessels from the catheter.
3. An allergic reaction to the dye given during the angioplasty.
4. An arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).
5. The need for emergency coronary artery bypass grafting during the procedure.
6. Damage to the kidneys caused by the dye used.
7. Heart attack
8. Stroke.
As with any procedure involving the heart, complications can sometimes, though rarely, cause death. Sometimes chest pain can occur during angioplasty because the balloon briefly blocks off the blood supply to the heart.

The risk of complications is higher in:
1. People age 75 years and older.
2. People who have kidney disease or diabetes.
3. Women.
4. People who have poor pumping function in their hearts.
5. People who have extensive heart disease and blockages.
6. Research on angioplasty is ongoing to make it safer and more effective, to prevent treated arteries from closing again and to make the procedure an option for more people.

IMPLANTABLE CARDIOVERTER DEFIBRILLATIR (ICD) :
An ICD is a battery-powered device placed under the skin that keeps track of your heart rate. Thin wires connect the ICD to your heart. If an abnormal heart rhythm is detected the device will deliver an electric shock to restore a normal heartbeat if heart is beating chaotically and much too fast. ICDs have been very useful in preventing sudden death in patients with known, sustained ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation. Studies have shown that they may have a role in preventing cardiac arrest in high-risk patients who haven't had, but are at risk for, life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.