can a 100% heart artery blockage be fixed with angioplasty

[mokey09]

I am a 48 year old female and 1 year ago went for an cardiogram and they placed 2 stints in the 90% blockage in the artery to my heart. Unfortunately I also have a 100%, a 50% and an 80% blockage still there. I don't feel I am functioning as I did prior to the angioplasty. I want to know if It is possible to get the 100% blockage opened with angioplasty since they do not want to do bypass surgery for 1 artery. I was not given the option to have bypass rather than 2 stints at the time and now feel my quality of life life is not good, if given the choice I would have had bypass and fixed both the 90% and the 100% but what can I do now to fix this situation.
I appreciate any advice you can give me, I'm 48 but feel 78 any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Carol

[ed34]

I had a long 100% occlusion which was very hard plaque. The wire would not penetrate the hard material in the conventional way, but the cardiologist chipped away at it, catching any debris in a safety net. It took a few hours to clear the vessel and in the first 30 mins the wire penetrated my artery wall, starting a small bleed. A quick small stent in that area and it stopped. Since I had my procedure done, there are newer techniques thanks to new technology. In those days everything (tools) had to be guided along a catheter wire, which had to be central in the vessel. For example, a rotating cutter would be guided along a wire which was secured further down the vessel using an expanded balloon. So if the wire couldn't penetrate the blockage, no tools could be used. Now however, they have lasers which can be guided from the rear. My procedure was done in imperial college in London.
Hasn't the RCA in your Father formed any collaterals which are natural bypass vessels? they are usually very good at forming on the right side.

[kcnrse]

can i have some of the details on the procedure you had done. What called and where. My father has 90% in RCA that they cant open just looking at alternatives since meds are messing him up

[ed34]

Thank you and you're welcome. I too was 48 when I had the blockage removed and when at that age I think we are not ready to accept defeat and give up. I wanted to find an alternative to guzzling pills and spraying nitro and I am certainly glad I did.

[kenkeith]

Q: "I am a 48 year old female and 1 year ago went for an cardiogram and they placed 2 stints in the 90% blockage in the artery to my heart. Unfortunately I also have a 100%, a 50% and an 80% blockage still there. I don't feel I am functioning as I did prior to the angioplasty. I want to know if It is possible to get the 100% blockage opened with angioplasty since they do not want to do bypass surgery for 1 artery."

>>>>>You have exactly the same degree and configuration of my vascular system 7 years ago. The time I was in ICU with heart failure, the surgeon did not want to do a bypass on my 100% blocked vessel.  The 90% blockage of the RCA was stented, and the 70% has been treated with medication to avoid any symptoms.  A 50% occlusion should not be the underlying cause for your discomfort as the opening should be sufficient to blood to the area in question. However, the 80% could be causing a problem...do you have chest pains?  If you do, does a nitrate relieve the chest pains?

You should have an echocardiogram to determine if your is pumping normally, if there is an enlargement of the heart chambers, and if there are any structual anomalies.  If you have 100% blockage for a number of years (chronic vs, acute) you have developed collaterals vessels that provide a natural bypass.  Neither you nor I would be around if there hasn't be collateral vessel devlopment for a natural bypass.

Do you have a better description of not feeling well.  Is there chest pains with exertion and relief with rest?  Do you have shortness of breath?  Do you have muscle fatique with very little exertion?  What has been your health history including tests provided?  Taking any medication?  Before not accepting a doctor's opinion of no further intervention to your heart, you may want the doctor to assess and evaluate a condition other than ischemia. An echocardiogram of your heart should be taken.

Thanks for sharing and if you have any further questions you comments you are welcome to respond. Take care,

Ken    

[mokey09]

Thanks, I have heard of a procedure they do in Toronto where they inject the blockage and 24hrs later they are able to get the balloon through and use stints rather than bypass surgery? I seems to be having difficulty finding help with my situation being it's not yet been a year I'm just learning but I realize it's something I will have to investigate and as you said find the right Dr.
Glad you situation turned out well.
Thanks

[ed34]

Yes. However, depending on the blockage location, composition, and length can make the procedure increase in risk. Some plaques have calcified more than others and can become very hard material, making it a lot more difficult to treat. It takes a cardiologist with a lot of experience to remove difficult 100% blockages successfully. I had a long, hard total blockage in the top of my LAD. Every hospital I approached, I received the same response "it can't be done". The blockage was also on a curve, making it even more risky. Eventually I did find a cardiologist with a lot of experience and had it removed.