Patient Information: Information related to angioplasty and stents as a treatment for coronary artery disease.

The Angioplasty Procedure

Preparation for the Procedure

Your doctor will instruct you on how to prepare for the angioplasty procedure and stent implantation procedure prior to being admitted to the hospital. Your doctor may ask you to take aspirin and other prescribed medications for several days before the procedure. This is done to "thin" the blood to prevent blood clots from forming during the procedure. It is important to tell your doctor if you cannot take aspirin or have a history of bleeding problems. Your doctor also needs to know if you are taking any other medications, have drug allergies, or are allergic to any metals or plastics.

Angioplasty and Stent Placement Procedure

Your angioplasty procedure will be performed in a specially equipped area of the hospital called the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. You will have to lay flat on your back during the procedure and you will remain awake, allowing you to follow your cardiologist's instructions (e.g., "breathe deeply"). Your groin or arm will be shaved and cleaned with antiseptic and you will be given a local anesthetic to numb the area.

Your cardiologist will place an introducer sheath either in your groin or in your arm to gain access to the artery. The sheath enables the cardiologist to slide a small guiding catheter up to the entrance of the coronary artery. Through the guiding catheter, a contrast dye will be injected that helps the doctor see the coronary arteries on the x-ray machine. A finer guide wire is then advanced through the guiding catheter to the stenosis, or blockage, in the diseased artery. This provides the "railway track" which carries all the equipment necessary for the procedure.

Using the guiding catheter, a balloon catheter is then positioned precisely in the clogged area of the coronary artery. Once in place, the balloon is inflated, compressing the plaque buildup and widening the artery. At this time you may experience some chest pain. Although this is normal, let your doctor know if you are experiencing any pain.

After the artery has been widened, your doctor will then pass the stent, mounted on a delivery catheter, into the coronary artery where the balloon was inflated. Your doctor will again inflate the balloon to expand the stent and deliver it to the inner wall of the artery. The stent will expand to shape itself to the size and contours of your vessel.

Your doctor may choose to expand the stent further by using another balloon. If required, the balloon catheter is inserted inside the stent and then inflated to help the stent make better contact with the artery wall. This part of the procedure is called post-dilatation. Post-dilatation is done to enable full contact of the stent to the artery wall. Once in place, the TAXUS® Stent will remain as a permanent implant in your artery. The TAXUS Stent uses a very small but effective dose of paclitaxel, which is released slowly over the time period when restenosis is most likely to occur. Some paclitaxel will remain in the stent, with no additional measurable amount being released into the body.