Coronary Artery Disease Treatment in the Cath Lab

More about heart anatomy. 

Coronary artery disease (CAD) refers to the process of successive accumulation of plaque in the arteries that wrap around the heart and supply it with blood. This leads to a narrowing of the arteries and eventually will lead to a reduction of blood flow and chest pain or angina. Sudden blockages of the coronary arteries will lead to a heart attack or an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This represents a medical emergency, it is of absolute importance to restitute blood flow to avoid permeant damage to the heart. 

One form of treatment for acute and chronic coronary artery stenosis (blockade) is a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This refers to the procedure that involves passing a small catheter through either groin or wrist artery, angiography of the coronary arteries (injection of contrast dye) and if appropriate a PCI. 

The images below show an example of a patient presenting with angina, a work up using a stress echo demonstrated evidence for reduced blood supply to the back side of the heart. 

Coronary Angiography

Coronary angiogram of the right coronary artery (RCA). The catheter is shown coming in from the top of the image. 

Stent Placement

A larger guide catheter is now inserted into the orifice of the right coronary artery. A wire is passed acting as stabiliser and delivery system for our tools.





 
The bottom image shows the stent still compressed around a balloon that then later will be inflated to expand and anchor the stent in the wall of the blood vessel. 

Final Result

The stent is now fully expanded and the stenosis (blockade) seen above is no longer visible. This was achieved by inflation of a further slightly larger balloon to make sure the stent fully aligns with the inside of the artery (post dilatation).  

Time to start some cardiac rehabilitation to get your fitness back.