Scar Tissue closing arteries

[DreamAH]

My husband has had six angioplasty's and a double by-pass. Throughout this very short period the doctors  realized they were the ones causing the scar tissue to grow so fast by going in and looking at things in hopes to open him up and all it did was grow more scar tissue. He lives with severe angina which is getting worse daily along with his breathing.  Does anyone have this or any ideas?? at all?

[terisave]

Thank you for the information need to understand more about scarring on tissue and how it can be handled.  My husband is 50 had stent replaced twice had major surgery with mycotic valve implant now scarring of tissue.

[ed34]

Scar tissue can be removed with a laser and the problem is getting the artery lining to NOT produce further scarring. I'm not sure, but I would have thought a drug eluting balloon inside an existing stent would help this situation. The chemical on a DES is supposed to inhibit scarring but the delivery is only around 20% of the surface area. Getting more chemical onto the lining should be of good benefit. When a balloon coated with the chemical is inflated, it should touch 100% of the lining, meaning good delivery and prevention.

[VGuest813]

I would not recommend the radiation..... My mother was diagnosed with brain tumors approx 18yrs ago and it is a miracle she is still alive. She had part of her tumor removed then and again in 2006. When they removed some in 2006 they discovered it had turned into cancer. Therefore, the doctors decided that Chemo and Radiation would be the best bet. While i think it worked to get rid of the cancer it brought on more problems. 3 weeks ago my mother had a very crucial stroke. The doctors performed many tests and have come to the conclusion that the radiation is causing the arteries in her brain to close. They cant prevent the future strokes and she will continue having them until one takes her from us. She is now in a long term nursing home because her entire right side is paralyzed, she cannot speak, and barely eats. I am sure this doesnt happen to everyone but there is always that chance! Good luck to you and your husband and i hope he recovers!

[ed34]

There are usually three options to consider with this situation. First is whether newer drug eluting stents can be inflated inside the existing bare metal stents. Old stents cannot be removed without very invasive surgery, but sometimes new stents can be positioned inside old existing ones. Another option is bypass surgery. Lastly there is irradiation. A radioactive substance on the catheter tip is held in the location of the scar tissue which breaks down the DNA. Cells which reproduce slower are able to grow at their normal rate when the DNA has been repaired, but faster reproducing cells (such as scar tissue) is slowed down because the DNA cannot repair quickly enough. This is how none directive cancer drugs work.

[DreamAH]

hi
you were right it is not a laser is it the old fashion way they used to do stent before the drug induce stents they will use  radiation??  

[ed34]

I've not heard of laser doing that. I know laser can be used to clear the artery but as far as I'm aware scar tissue can still form. One way of helping stop scar tissue is the application of radiation. A radioactive substance on the end of the catheter wire is held in the area for a period of time, damaging the dna of the cells so they can't reproduce so quickly.

[DreamAH]

yes they were the drug eluting stents but we are considering  if we have a next time to not use them and close with laser those telling the body it is healed and hopefully sending the signal to the brain to not grow scar tissue.

[ed34]

I assume they have been stenting and using Drug eluting stents rather than bare metal stents which were developed to overcome this problem?