Diseases

Treating damaged coronary

Treating damaged coronary arteries and opening them - when they are obstructed- and increasing blood flow to the heart through angioplasty is nowadays safe. Angioplasty is routinely performed, has high success rates and infrequent complications. Our surgeons regularly use state-of-the-art, drug-eluting stents. These devices have been associated with low incidence of restenosis and low mortality rates. Balloon catheters are also implanted. They deliver various types of therapeutic agents in the vessel in the event of stent restenosis or if it is necessary to treat small damaged vessels. Surgeons pay particular attention to patients suffering from diabetes mellitus or who have already undergone coronary bypass surgery. In diabetic patients cardiovascular diseases often affect more organs, which makes it necessary to give them special treatments.

Those patients who have already undergone coronary bypass surgery get great benefit from coronary angioplasty, in particular if the vessels and coronary arteries used in bypass surgery are clogged. Coronary angioplasty prevents additional, potentially risky surgery. Providing elderly patients with the best possible treatment is our priority too. When these patients suffer from three-vessel disease, which in most cases involves concurrent diseases, surgery is extremely risky. Aortic valve stenosis (the abnormal narrowing of the aortic valve) is equally dangerous but the aortic valve can be successfully replaced with a safer coronary angioplasty intervention.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

The annual incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm is very low (38/100.000). This disease, also known as AAA, is a localised dilatation of the abdominal aorta, which can result in rupture and lead to death. AAAs occur most commonly in individuals between 65 and 75 years old and are more common among men (1 out of 4-6 patients) and smokers (1 out of 8 patients). An option to routine surgery is the endoscopic placement of a mesh tube stent through the groin.


 

Carotid artery stenosis

Atherosclerosis, an inflammatory build-up of cholesterol deposits (plaque) that can obstruct arteries, is the main cause of the narrowing of the carotid artery. Additional, concurrent causes are high blood pressure, smoking, advanced age, high cholesterol, dyslipedmia (abnormal lipids), obesity, drinking alcohol, the use of oral contraceptives. The most common location of atherosclerotic build-up is the carotid bifurcation. Studies show that cerebrovascular diseases (diseases that affect the arteries of the heart, brain and legs) are the third leading cause of death after cancers and heart diseases. They generally occur in patients aged between 65 and 85, less frequently in younger people. Carotid angioplasty and stenting is an alternative to surgery. Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a form of congenital heart defect. ASDs make up 10% of all congenital heart diseases and 40% of the heart diseases diagnosed in adults over 40. ASDs show a female preponderance, with a male:female ratio of 1:3. In an individual with ASD cerebrovascular accidents (strokes) can occur. Percutaneous ASD closure is indicated for the closure of ASD with the endoscopic implantation of a device.