Coronary Artery Disease Treatment
Treatment for coronary artery disease (CAD) varies depending on the severity of the disease. CAD also called coronary heart disease, is a condition in which plaque (plak) builds up inside the heart's coronary arteries that supply your heart with blood. When plaque builds up in the arteries, the condition is called atherosclerosis (ATH-er-o-skler-O-sis). Plaque narrows the arteries and reduces blood flow to your heart. It also makes it more likely that blood clots will form in your arteries.
Blood clots can partially or completely block blood flow. When these arteries are blocked, blood can't reach your heart. This can cause angina (chest pain) or a heart attack . Without quick treatment, a heart attack can lead to serious health problems and even death.
Treatment Options 1
Non-Surgical Options – Depending on the severity of the condition, doctor may first recommend that certain patients with CAD make lifestyle changes, including:
- Getting regular exercise
- Quitting smoking
- Eating a healthy diet to control blood pressure and cholesterol levels
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight
- Reduce stress
Surgical Treatment Options – Your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure to treat severe CAD, ease your symptoms and reduce your risk of a heart attack. Both angioplasty and bypass surgery are used as treatments. Angioplasty opens blocked or narrowed coronary arteries.
During angioplasty, a thin tube with a balloon or other device on the end is threaded through a blood vessel to the narrowed or blocked coronary artery. Once in place, the balloon is inflated to push the plaque outward against the wall of the artery. This widens the artery and restores the flow of blood. Angioplasty can improve blood flow to your heart, relieve chest pain, and possibly prevent a heart attack. Sometimes a small mesh tube called a stent is placed in the artery to keep it open after the procedure.
Bypass surgery is often referred to as CABG (coronary artery bypass graft surgery) and is also known as coronary revascularization. During bypass surgery, doctors use healthy arteries or veins from other areas in your body to bypass (go around) your narrowed coronary arteries. This can improve blood flow to your heart, relieve chest pain, and possibly prevent a heart attack.
da Vinci® Surgery for CAD
If you have been told you need bypass surgery, ask your doctor about da Vinci Surgery for coronary artery disease. This procedure is performed without the need for a heart-lung machine, minimally invasively through small incisions made between the ribs. This avoids the need for a sternotomy, its associated risks and complications. A sternotomy requires that your doctor make an 8 to 10 inch incision, cut through your breastbone and spread your ribs to gain direct access to your heart. da Vinci Coronary Revascularization can also offer several potential benefits over open heart surgery, including:
- Shorter hospital stay3
- Less pain and scarring2
- Less risk of infection2
- Less blood loss and need for blood transfusions 3
- Faster recovery2
- Quicker return to normal activities2
As with any surgery, these benefits cannot be guaranteed, as surgery is patient-and procedure specific.
1. “How is Coronary Artery Disease Treated?” National Institutes of Health, www.nhibi.nih.gov , URL: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Cad/CAD_Treatments.html
2. “What to Expect During Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting”, National Institutes of Health, www.nhibi,nih.gov , URL: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/cabg/cabg_during.html
3. Poston RS, Tran R, Collins M, Reynolds M, Connerney I, Reicher B, Zimrin D, Griffith BP, Bartlett ST. Comparison of economic and patient outcomes with minimally invasive versus traditional off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting techniques. Ann Surg. 2008 Oct;248(4):638-46.
While clinical studies support the effectiveness of the da Vinci® System when used in minimally invasive surgery, individual results may vary. Surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System may not be appropriate for every individual. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits.