This Word Means: Angioplasty

WHAT IS ANGIOPLASTY?

Angioplasty is a minimally invasive medical procedure to open blocked arteries supplying blood to the heart. The name is an amalgamation of two words, angio, meaning relating to blood vessels, and plasty, its treatment.

A block in any of the three arteries (or their branches) supplying blood to the heart results in reduced blood supply to the heart, causing chest pain, or angina. Atherosclerosis is the disease caused by the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

This can be exacerbated by physical exertion, resulting in the possibility of a heart attack. Blood supply to the heart is shut off in the event of a heart attack, resulting in the need for an emergency medical procedure.

An angioplasty may therefore be a treatment after a heart attack, or an elective procedure to prevent the possibility of one.

HOW DOES ANGIOPLASTY DIFFER FROM OTHER PROCEDURES?

It is a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery to restore blood flow to the heart muscle. Angioplasty uses a minor incision in the groin or arm to insert a catheter to widen the blocked artery, while a traditional bypass procedure would require a larger opening in the chest.

More importantly for the patient, its minimal invasiveness allows the patient to be discharged as early as 24 hours after the procedure.

TYPES OF ANGIOPLASTIES

Using a balloon: Here, a tiny medical balloon is used to push plaque out of the way and to the wall of constricted arteries

Using a stent: A small expandable mesh tube, called a stent, may be placed in the opened artery to ensure it remains open. Stents may be made of metal, fabric, silicone or combinations of materials. A noteworthy innovation has been the development of bioresorbable stents. In an effort championed by Kalarickal himself, that involves the placement of a stent made of a material that can gradually dissolve and be absorbed by the body, allowing the artery to regain its natural function over time.

Using a laser: Excimer Laser Coronary Angioplasty (ELCA) uses a laser to dissolve plaque in the arteries to clear a heart block. It can be used in cases of severe heart blocks, where the plaque buildup may not be addressed by a traditional angioplasty procedure.

WHAT WAS KALARICKAL’S ROLE?

Mathew Samuel Kalarickal studied medicine at the Government Medical College in Kottayam, Kerala, and completed his post-graduation and specialisation from the Stanley Medical College and Madras Medical College, both in Chennai.

His interest in the angioplasty procedure led him to Emory University in the US, where he trained under Dr Andreas Gruentzig, the German cardiologist who developed the first successful balloon angioplasty procedure. He opted to return to India in 1985, where the procedure was still unknown and built a reputation purely through word of mouth to treat patients.

He is credited with founding the India Live cardiology conference, as well as the National Angioplasty Registry of India, which allowed interventional cardiologists to study from each other and maintain international standards.