Angioplasty

From Citizendium, the Citizens' Compendium

In medicine, angioplasty is "endovascular reconstruction of an artery, which may include the removal of atheromatous plaque and/or the endothelial lining as well as simple dilatation. These are procedures performed by catheterization. When reconstruction of an artery is performed surgically, it is called endarterectomy."^[1]

Angioplasty may be used to treat coronary heart disease, renal artery stenosis, and carotid stenosis. Angioplasty of the heart is called percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

As compared to surgery:

• Angioplasty is probably better than surgery for renal artery stenosis. Surgery leads to improved patency rates at 4 years (88% versus 68%); however, angioplasty improves renal function and tends to have less mortality after 4 years (18% vs 25%).^[2]
• Angioplasty is less effective than surgery for myocardial revascularization of coronary heart disease^[3], especially for patients with diabetes who have stenosis of three coronary arteries.^[4] Angioplasty did not include stents in this study.

References

1. ↑ Anonymous, (2009) Angioplasty (English). Medical Subject Headings. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
2. ↑ Balzer KM, Pfeiffer T, Rossbach S, et al (March 2009). Prospective randomized trial of operative vs interventional treatment for renal artery ostial occlusive disease (RAOOD). J. Vasc. Surg. 49 (3): 667–74; discussion 674–5. DOI:10.1016/j.jvs.2008.10.006. PMID 19135837.
3. ↑ Bravata DM, Gienger AL, McDonald KM, et al (2007). "Systematic Review: The Comparative Effectiveness of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions and Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery". Ann Intern Med. PMID 17938385.
4. ↑ (July 1996) Comparison of coronary bypass surgery with angioplasty in patients with multivessel disease. The Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation (BARI) Investigators. N. Engl. J. Med. 335 (4): 217–25. PMID 8657237.