What Are Risks And Benefits Of Anomalous Coronary Artery Intervention?

Anomalous coronary artery intervention is a medical procedure meant to correct a problem in the coronary arteries. The exact problem, however, can vary from one patient to another and can range from a blocked artery to one that has an irregular shape. The standard intervention for treating a coronary artery anomaly is the catheter-directed angioplasty (or coronary angioplasty, as it is often called).

Benefits of anomalous coronary artery intervention

Every human heart has an aorta, which is the biggest blood vessel that allows the heart to supply different organs in the body with the blood they need to function properly. The aorta has aortic sinuses, from which coronary arteries start spreading through your chest. The aortic sinuses are home to two coronary arteries, one for each side of the heart. From these major arteries, secondary coronary arteries are formed, and so on.

A coronary artery anomaly intervention can help conditions such as anomalous aortic origins of the coronary arteries, anomalous pulmonary origins of the coronary arteries, and coronary artery fistulae.

Risks of anomalous coronary artery intervention

Just like every other medical procedure, anomalous coronary artery intervention isn’t 100 percent risk-free. Such a procedure may cause excess bleeding, infection, catheter-induced blood vessel damage, heart attacks, arrhythmia, or even the need for coronary artery bypass grafting.

The risks of complications during and after the procedure vary from one case to another and depend on the severity of the condition, the overall health status of the patient, as well as other underlying medical conditions they may have.

Before the anomalous coronary artery intervention

The doctor will educate and inform their patients on how to prepare for the procedure, what to expect, and what follows. At this point, your doctor has to know all the medication you’re taking either for coronary artery disease or any other medical condition. That’s because some medications can cause complications during the procedure, so your doctor may ask you to stop taking them a while before. For example, aspirin acts as a blood thinner and isn’t generally recommended before surgery.

Because you will be sedated during the process, it is best to talk to a family member or a friend about driving your home once you are allowed to leave the hospital. The sedatives might not put you in the best condition to drive, even hours after the procedure.

During the anomalous coronary artery intervention

Normally, the doctor will guide you through the procedure before, so you’ll know what to expect. In general, this procedure takes place in a cardiac catheterization lab, under the supervision of a cardiologist. The general steps for this intervention are as follows:

• You will be connected to an IV line that will sedate you and prepare you for the procedure.
• If need be, the hair in the area of the incision will be removed, and some local anesthetic may be applied.
• The coronary angioplasty is typically performed through a cut in one of the blood vessels located on your arm, wrist, or groin.
• Once the incision has been made, the doctor will insert a thin wire, followed by a catheter, which is a thin flexible tube. At the end that goes inside the body, the catheter has a deflated balloon.
• When the catheter end has reached its destination, the balloon is slowly inflated, causing the artery walls to move away from each other, creating an opening for the blood to flow freely inside the artery.
• At this point, the doctor may also choose to place a stent, which is a mesh-like device that will stay inside the coronary artery permanently, making sure to keep the artery open at all times.
• Once the stent is in place, the balloon will be deflated and removed together with the catheter, and the incision will be closed and bandaged.

After the anomalous coronary artery intervention

Such an intervention is followed by close monitoring for a full day. You may be required to remain hospitalized in a recovery room for the next hours. Because of the substances administered through the IV, you may experience dizziness and confusion, even a sense of fatigue.

During this time, doctors and nurses will monitor your vital signs, and give you the medication that is required after such a procedure. You will also likely be required to stay in a very specific position (with your legs fully stretched), in order to prevent bleeding from the incision in your groin.

It is very important to take the medicine that your doctor prescribed, particularly if your intervention resulted in permanent stent placement. Since the stent does not guarantee the prevention of future blood clots, you will be required to take medication to prevent this from happening for a period of one year.

Conclusion

Coronary artery anomalies still have untapped potential as far as surgical intervention is concerned. Naturally, identifying the exact type of anomaly is the first step in determining the best treatment plan for the patient. The most important thing to know is that all the major coronary artery abnormalities have a suitable procedure for correction, and your cardiologist will carefully assess your particular case and suggest a proper solution.