Radial Angioplasty Reduces Risk, Cost & Recovery Time

Angioplasty is a common procedure performed on patients that have a blockage as a result of plaque build-up in an artery. During the procedure, a narrow tube is inserted into an artery and fed to the location of the blockage, where a small balloon is inflated to expand the artery, allowing doctors to insert a stent to hold the artery open, if necessary. Angioplasty, which ultimately improves blood flow to the heart, is usually done through the femoral artery. This major artery can be accessed by making an incision in the groin and running the narrow tube, or catheter, to the blockage. However, a recent study conducted at the Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute in Miami, Florida involving more than 5,000 procedures suggests that the alternative to femoral artery angioplasty is safer, less costly and allows patients to recover in less time. This alternative involves the radial artery, which is found in the wrist, to access blockages preventing blood flow to the heart. The study, which was presented at the annual International Symposium on Endovascular Therapy (ISET), reported that although about 75 percent of all angioplasty patients may be eligible for radial artery angioplasty, only about 2 percent of these patients actually have the procedure performed. One reason for this small percentage may be that it is more difficult for doctors to perform this procedure. That factor, and the unavailability of training for doctors that are willing to learn the alternative procedure, make radial artery angioplasty less of an option for patients.

Researchers are hopeful that the results of this study will prompt more doctors to learn this procedure and allow more radial artery angioplasties to be performed on the over one million Americans that require angioplasty each year. Still, although this radial procedure has a significantly lower risk of bleeding and nerve damage for the majority of patients requiring an angioplasty, it is not the best option for very thin patients or for those that have abnormal arteries that are twisted or misshaped. On the other hand, the femoral artery angioplasty is risky and difficult in extremely overweight patients, so in those cases, radial artery angioplasty would be the most favorable option when treating with a trained physician. There are various risks associated with different surgical procedures, so it is important to find a doctor with experience performing the procedure you require. If a mistake does occur during a surgical procedure, negligence or malpractice may be to blame. If you or a loved one was injured by surgical malpractice in New York City or Long Island, please call or e-mail us today for a free consultation with our experienced surgery malpractice attorneys in New York, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk.

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