Radiation Beads?

My father had a stent put in about 3 months ago.  A recent stress test revealed a circulation problem to the back of his heart.  His cardiologist has him coming back in December, at which time a procedure will be available using

[CCF-M.D.-CRC]

Dear Rita,
Radiation therapy or brachytherapy is an new development in interventional cardiology in the treatment of blockages within stents ("in-stent restenosis").  The therapy is essentially what your father described: a small radioactive "bead" or pellet is placed inside the stent for a short period of time.  The radiation is localized to the stent area and prevents blockages from recurring in the stent.  There is a high success rate for the procedure and his cardiologist can give you exact numbers for his experience.  There are minimal side-effects.  Other options would include bypass surgery and medical management.  The best option would depend on his symptoms, his willingness to undergo surgery and his doctor's opinion.  These are all good issues to discuss with his doctor.