Nutrition Health Chat: Tuesday, Dec. 8th, 5-6 PM Eastern. Learn how vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients affect your health. Free live Q&A. Join us!
Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Stent Clot
Answered by
Cleveland - OH
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.
Stent Clot
by JohnR, Jul 22, 2004 12:00AM
I am a 54 year old male with CAD. I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, both controlled by medication. I do not smoke or drink and have no other medical conditions.
Three months ago I had a medicated stent (2.5 mm X 28 mm.)inserted into my mid-LAD. Angina symptoms persisted so one month later a catheterization revealed that the stent had formed a blood clot and closed off the LAD completely. The doctor spent two hours re-opening the stent. Two weeks later he went back in and the clot had re-formed. He did not try to re-open it a second time; I believe he was concerned about damaging the artery. He said that I have sufficient collaterals extending from my right coronary artery that they are supplying blood to the area of my heart formerly supplied by my LAD.
I have two questions:
1. Why is it that the doctor is reluctant to re-open the stent a second time? With all of the available technology, atherectomy, gamma radiation, angiojet, TPA, etc. shouldn’t re-opening the artery be a priority?
2. Is it possible to live a normal life with a 100% occluded LAD?
Thank you.
Three months ago I had a medicated stent (2.5 mm X 28 mm.)inserted into my mid-LAD. Angina symptoms persisted so one month later a catheterization revealed that the stent had formed a blood clot and closed off the LAD completely. The doctor spent two hours re-opening the stent. Two weeks later he went back in and the clot had re-formed. He did not try to re-open it a second time; I believe he was concerned about damaging the artery. He said that I have sufficient collaterals extending from my right coronary artery that they are supplying blood to the area of my heart formerly supplied by my LAD.
I have two questions:
1. Why is it that the doctor is reluctant to re-open the stent a second time? With all of the available technology, atherectomy, gamma radiation, angiojet, TPA, etc. shouldn’t re-opening the artery be a priority?
2. Is it possible to live a normal life with a 100% occluded LAD?
Thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by Cleveland Clinic, Jul 22, 2004 12:00AM
, Jul 22, 2004 12:00AM
john,
thnaks for the post.
1. Why is it that the doctor is reluctant to re-open the stent a second time? With all of the available technology, atherectomy, gamma radiation, angiojet, TPA, etc. shouldn’t re-opening the artery be a priority?
The key is blood flow. IF you have no ischemia in that area and your artery is supplied by collaterals then then by opening the artery. There is a possibility your physician could cause damage to the small vessels distal to the blockage from emblization during attempted intervention. So if the collatorals are formed and you have no symptoms medical therapy is a good bet.
If you continue to have symptoms then a stress test to prove ischemia in that artery could result in taking the risk of angioplasty or even bypass.
2. Is it possible to live a normal life with a 100% occluded LAD?
Yes, many do. A major factor is your EF, whether you have heart failure symptoms, and whether you have sustained any damage when the LAD was originally occluded.
good luck
thnaks for the post.
1. Why is it that the doctor is reluctant to re-open the stent a second time? With all of the available technology, atherectomy, gamma radiation, angiojet, TPA, etc. shouldn’t re-opening the artery be a priority?
The key is blood flow. IF you have no ischemia in that area and your artery is supplied by collaterals then then by opening the artery. There is a possibility your physician could cause damage to the small vessels distal to the blockage from emblization during attempted intervention. So if the collatorals are formed and you have no symptoms medical therapy is a good bet.
If you continue to have symptoms then a stress test to prove ischemia in that artery could result in taking the risk of angioplasty or even bypass.
2. Is it possible to live a normal life with a 100% occluded LAD?
Yes, many do. A major factor is your EF, whether you have heart failure symptoms, and whether you have sustained any damage when the LAD was originally occluded.
good luck
Member Comments (2)
by suec3@suddenlink.net, Aug 05, 2007 12:22AM
Is their any support group for patients that has had stent placement
