Dear Utkuarman,
Takayasu arteritis and other vasculopathies, or inflammatory diseases causing blood vessel inflammation, can lead to strictures and obstruction of blood vessels throughout the body. Various options for dealing with them include catheterization with balloon angioplasty (plus the addition of a stent, if it is felt to be needed), surgical bypass of the vessel, or surgical revision of the vessel. The least invasive is balloon angioplasty, which also may be as effective as any of the other interventions, depending on how severe and how long the stenoses (obstructions) are. It can be done at any time, and would be well tolerated by a larger patient, such as someone who is 10 years old (as compared to an infant). Sadly, despite what is reported as a 3-5 year period of relief of obstruction, there can be as much as a 75% recurrence rate. Overall, the sooner that it is done, the less likely that there will be downstream damage to other organs, especially to the lungs with the obstruction of the pulmonary artery.
