At Shaheen Vascular, Dr. Shaheen is passionate about providing his patients with the best possible treatments and superior patient care to help you achieve improved overall health. He offers angioplasties and stents placement in order to open narrowed and blocked blood vessels that supply blood to the heart and restore healthy function.
The coronary arteries are the arteries that supply blood to the heart. When they become narrowed or blocked, it can lead to many serious health concerns. Angioplasty is a procedure to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels. A coronary artery stent is a small metal tube that is made of metal mesh. They are designed to expand inside the artery and open it. A stent is placed in the artery during or immediately after angioplasty. It helps to prevent the artery from closing again. There are also drug-eluting stents that have medicine imbedded in them. These specialized stents help to prevent the artery from closing with more longevity.
Initial testing and examination is first required in order to create a treatment plan that best suits you and your needs. Prior to beginning the angioplasty, pain medicine or anesthesia is first administered to ensure optimal patient comfort. To begin, a small incision is first made to gain access to the artery. A flexible catheter tube is then inserted into the artery. Using ultrasound, the catheter is carefully guided into your heart and arteries. A specialized dye is then released to highlight the blood flow through the arteries. This helps to better identify any blockages in the blood vessels that lead to the heart. A small guide wire is then moved across the blockage.
A balloon catheter is then pushed over the top of the guide wire through the blockage. The balloon is inflated to open the blocked artery and restore blood flow to the heart. The stent (a wire meshed tube) can then be placed within the blocked area. The stent is placed with the balloon catheter and expands when the balloon inflates. The balloon is removed and the stent remains in order to keep the artery open. The result is restored blood flow and decreased risk of stroke and other health conditions.
If you are interested in learning more about angioplasties and stents, reach out to the professionals here at Shaheen Vascular located in Mountain View, CA. Contact us today and schedule your consultation towards improved health and wellness!