Angioplasty

Angiogram is performed prior to an angioplasty. Here , a thin plastic tube is inserted into an artery in the groin or arm. A long, narrow, hollow tube, called a catheter, is passed through the sheath and guided up the blood vessels to the arteries surrounding the heart. A small amount of contrast liquid is injected through the catheter and is photographed with an X-ray as it moves through the heart’s chambers, valves, and major vessels. From the digital pictures of the contrast material, one can find out whether the coronary arteries are narrowed.

Dr. Sengottuvelu pioneered the radial angiogram procedures in India leading to day care procedures with same day discharge. Angiogram procedure takes less than 10 minutes and done under local anaesthesia

Balloon angioplasty:

A thin, flexible tube called a catheter is inserted into an artery and fed to the site of a blockage within the blood vessel. The interventional cardiologist opens a tiny balloon at the end of the catheter to push aside the blockage, improving blood flow through the artery.

Stenting:

A stent is a small tube that acts as a scaffold to provide support inside the coronary artery. Starting from stainless steel stents , they have evolved now into thinner cobalt chromium or platinum chromium stents .Atherectomy devices are used to debulk highly calcified lesions.

A catheter is used to deliver the stent into the narrowed coronary artery. Once in place, the balloon tip is inflated and the stent expands to the size of the artery and holds it open. Innovations in catheters have been ranging from the original balloon catheter to more flexible and soft ones.

The ClearWay™ RX – Rapid Exchange Therapeutic Perfusion Catheter helps save larger area of heart muscle in heart attacks.

The CrossBoss Catheter is the latest technology for treatment of  chronic and 100% blocked arteries. A decade ago, most of the patients with 100% blocked arteries were either managed medically or sent for surgery .This catheter facilitates the crossing of the 100% block, either through the tough lesions or can travel behind the blocked segment and exit beyond the lesion.  The StingRay Balloon is used to get back into the actual passage of the blood vessel, using specialised wires.