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