Union Minister Narayan Rane recently underwent angioplasty with the insertion of a stent into an artery. The procedure was performed in Mumbai’s Lilavati hospital. This is not the first time when the Union minister has had an angioplasty. Rane went for the procedure after he complained of chest paid due to a blockage in his arteries.
What is Angioplasty?
In the term angioplasty, angio means blood vessel and plasty is the process of opening up. Angioplasty is the process of inserting a balloon to stretch open a narrowed or blocked artery, while modern techniques also involve inserting a short wire-mesh tube called a stent into the artery to allow free flow of blood.
Doctor may recommend angioplasty in order to:
- Treat an abnormal stress test
- Increase blood flow to the heart
- Improve blood supply to the heart muscle during or after a heart attack
- Reduce chest pain, or angina
- Support more activity for people with chest pain
Types of agnioplasty
There are mainly two main types of agnioplasty
Balloon angioplasty: In this process, doctors use pressure of an inflating balloon to clear plaque that is blocking an artery. This is a rare procedure and is done only when doctors are unable to place a stent in the required position.
Stent placement: It involves a tube or stent, made out of wire mesh. This helps to prevent an artery narrowing.
While stents are made of bare metal, the one with a coating of medication is called drug eluting stents (DES) and are less likely to plug up again.
Risk involved in angioplasty
Overall, the procedure is safe without any complications. However, an estimate says that the rate of complications is 5 in every 100 people.
While complications are rare, they may include:
- Prolonged bleeding from the catheter insertion site in the groin or wrist
- An allergic reaction to the dye
- Damage to blood vessels, kidneys, or arteries
- A blockage that requires an emergency bypass
- Chest pain, blood clot, stroke, heart attack
- A tear or damage to an artery or major blood vessel
