We first need to emphasize that both procedures, angioplasty and bypass surgery, are suitable strategies for the treatment of coronary artery disease. In choosing the best alternative to treat their condition, patients usually consult with their physician.
Angioplasty is a procedure that uses endovascular techniques, that is to say, through guide wire crossing (what is a catheterization?) the doctor travels to the affected point in the artery. Once there, it is possible to open the artery lumen using a balloon (what is an angioplasty?) and also place a tiny metallic mesh tube (what is a stent) that will hold the plaque causing the disease and prevent reclosure, if necessary.
Bypass surgery, on the other hand, is a procedure that builds a bridge that allows blood to flow normally, “a side street” to the affected site; that is, it connects a healthy segment of the artery, for example from the aorta, and goes round the obstruction to restore blood flow to the heart.
In recent years, remarkable advances have been made in interventional cardiology, which has facilitated a better offer of devices to suit patients’ particular needs.
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