Angioplasty and Stenting
The vascular system is the network of blood vessels that circulate blood to and from the heart and lungs. Untreated vascular disease can lead to serious health problems, such as tissue death and gangrene requiring amputation or other surgery; chronic disability and pain; and weakened blood vessels that may rupture without warning. Deadly complications can result, including stroke (a clogged or narrowed blood vessel cuts the supply of blood to the brain), and pulmonary embolism (a blood clot breaks loose and travels to the heart and lungs).
If a vein has been narrowed or damaged, it may be necessary for the physician to perform balloon angioplasty, a procedure in which a catheter is placed in the vein under X-ray guidance to the site of the narrowing, and a balloon is inflated to press open the narrowed blood vessel. In many cases, a small mesh cylinder called a stent may be inserted through the catheter and left behind in the vein to keep it open. A stent - sometimes called an endoprosthesis - is a small, flexible tube made of medical-grade plastic or wire mesh.
