Treatment Options
Depending on the severity of the blockage, one or more treatment methods may be appropriate. Patients who require these treatments are referred to the RUSH Heart Institute at RUSH University Medical Center for these procedures.
Angioplasty
If the blockage is discrete and can be reached easily in a large artery, Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty ( PTCA ) may be a good treatment option. A tube is inserted in the top of the leg and the blood is thinned. A catheter is advanced to the heart artery and a thin wire is threaded across the blockage. A balloon catheter is advanced to the site of the blockage and then expanded to open up the artery.Primary Angioplasty
Under urgent conditions, when a patient is already experiencing a heart attack where an artery is totally blocked, a primary angioplasty is done. Opening the artery as soon as possible during a heart attack has been shown to improve outcomes and reduce the damage suffered by the heart as well as shortening the amount of time required to be in the hospital.Thrombolytic Therapy.
If it will take too long to get to the cardiac cauterization lab for angioplasty, a clot dissolving medicine may be given in the emergency room at RUSH Oak Park Hospital.Coronary Stent
Once an angioplasty is performed and the artery has been opened, a thin metal slotted tube mounted on the balloon catheter is advanced to the site of the blockage and expanded to hold the artery open. The stent stays in the artery. The smooth lining of the artery will eventually grow over the stent. Stents can reduce the risk of a blockage returning. If the stent is drug-eluting, the risk of the blockage returning is low; however, it takes longer for the smooth lining of the artery to regrow and the patient must remain on blood thinner longer than with plain stents.Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG)
Open Heart Surgery may be the best option for multiple blockages that are severe or diffuse and not readily treatable with balloons or stents. This usually requires an inpatient stay of 3-7 days after surgery and a longer recovery period at home, but may offer more complete restoration of blood flow in one procedure.Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization (TMLR) is available surgically for patients who cannot have the full restoration of blood flow by bypass.
When these standard options are not sufficient to meet an individual's needs, RUSH University Medical Center is a leading center in research for experimental therapies for growing new blood vessels or heart muscle for patients with blockage that is not treatable with other techniques.
