Coronary dilatation is performed under anesthesia in a catheterization laboratory with X-ray equipment. An anesthetist is present throughout the procedure.
The procedure consists in crossing the narrowed segment of the coronary artery with a very thin metallic wire which will subsequently serve as a ‘rail’ for the dilatation balloon.
Once placed at the site of the narrowing, this balloon is inflated until the vessel completely reassumes its original shape (See drawing no 2)
As the balloon is inflated, you may experience the same pain in your chest as that caused by angina, because the blood flow is temporarily blocked. The pain progressively decreases as the balloon deflates. Once the narrowing has been successfully dilated, the balloon, the guide and the catheter are removed.
The dilatation procedure is almost always completed by the implantation of an endoprosthesis or ‘stent’, a device designed to keep the artery open (by scaffolding the arterial walls)
This procedure requires the prescription of a blood-thinning medication to enhance blood fluidity (Plavix and Aspirine).
The stent literally sticks to the artery walls and gradually becomes integrated with them.
In rare instances (less than 1% of cases) where the dilatation procedure is not successful, a surgical operation called bypass grafting may be necessary. This intervention is performed either on an emergency basis, or scheduled for a later date
