Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
In medicine, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), also called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is a form of myocardial revascularization in which occurs "dilatation of an occluded coronary artery (or arteries) by means of a balloon catheter to restore myocardial blood supply."[1]
PTCA may be a treatment for myocardial infarction and an intravascular stent may or may not be left at the site of the stenosis in order to prevent restenosis.[2]
Stenting reduces the rate of restenosis, but should not be done if the patient cannot take clopidogrel, has extensive stenoses, the stenosis is in a very small coronary artery, or if bypass surgery is planned within a few days.[2]
Drug-eluting stents further reduce restenosis compared with bare-metal stents, but drug-eluting stents may increase the rate of delayed restenoses. Delayed restenosis may be prevented by taking aspirin combined with clopidogrel.[2]
References
- ↑ Anonymous (2024), Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (English). Medical Subject Headings. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Keeley EC, Hillis LD (2007). "Primary PCI for myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation". N. Engl. J. Med. 356 (1): 47-54. DOI:10.1056/NEJMct063503. PMID 17202455. Research Blogging.