Restenosis after a stent

[Martin__0]

  I understand that after placement of a coronary stent, even with anti-platelet medication, restenosis occurs about 20% of the time. How often in that 20% recurrence is the arterial block significantly greater that in the original obstruction (if, say, that obstruction had been 60-70%)? Are there published data on that particular point?  I have searched Medline and have not turned up an answer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Martin
Much of the time restenosis creates a lesion that is less severe than the original lesion, but it can certainly create a lesion as severe or of greater severity. It all depends on the exuberance of your body's scar tissue response to the stent placement. Fortunately, while restenosis can cause a recurrence of symptoms, these lesions are less likely to cause a heart attack. Certain patients such as patients with diabetes are more likely to have restenosis.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.