Questions posted in the
Heart Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
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Subject: Re: ANGIOPLASTY I am scheduled to have angioplasty the 17th of June in my circulflex and proximal arteries. The lesions are near the source and I am told they are easily reached with a catherer. My previous history includes a bypass over my LAD and off a branch of my circumflex in 1974. The bypass off the circumflex closed in 1992 after being opened in 1990 along with another lesion in the lower left of my heart. The catherization I had just recently shows the LAD graft is clear and open after 24 yrs. The repair of the lesion in lower left part of the heart is still ok. The lesion in the circumflex and proximal are about 85 to 90% closed. I have little angina. usually if I move too quickly after eating or going out in the cold I will feel a slight degree of it. My right artery closed near the source in 1974 but I have good collateral circulation from the left side to the right. The right side could not be bypassed as it was too deseased. I will be 67 yrs. old in Sept. and I am in otherwise in good physical shape and exercise regularly. I do have occassional bouts with atrial fib. but very seldom. I take 60mg Procardia, 20mg of Lipitor, 10mg of Lotensin and half a tablet of Atenonol (about 12mg). My heart is slightly enlarged by as my valves have some stenosis. My heart fracion is about 60 to 65%. _ Dear Don, Thank you for your question. These are important questions to be asking before any medical question and I can give you national standards. Your doctor can give you more specific numbers for your particular case and your hospital. The common risks for cardiac angioplasty are bleeding at the site of arterial access, infection at the access site and dye reactions. All of these are fairly minor complications and easily treatable. Serious complications such as heart attack or death are less common less than 1 in 1000 for diagnostic procedures and less than 1 in 500 for angioplasty. The site of the angioplasty does not make that much difference in the risk of the procedure. Failure rate of angioplasty is about 30% after the first procedure. Of those that fail and go on to a second procedure about 70% will remain open. The decision to undergo a second bypass surgery is not made lightly and is something you should discuss with your doctor if the need should arise. Information provided here is for general educational purposes only. Only your doctor can provide specific diagnoses and treatments. If you would like to be seen at the Cleveland Clinic, please Call 1 - 800 - CCF - CARE for an appointment at Desk F15 with a cardiologist My question is what is your estimate of the risk of this procedure since
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