Percutaneous angioplasty

Constrictions or blockages of arteries can cause reduced blood flow to various organs. The most common cause of these constrictions or blockages is arteriosclerosis.

Consequential diseases:

• Stroke: A narrowing of the carotid artery can lead to a stroke.
• Intermittent claudication: When arteries in the pelvis or legs are constricted, insufficient blood flow can lead to the development of intermittent claudication, which causes pain in the calves when walking that improves when standing still.

Treatment:

Percutaneous angioplasty

• The procedure involves puncturing the femoral artery with a very thin needle after administering a local anaesthetic.
• This allows small wires and catheters (thin, tube-like instruments) to be inserted, which are used to widen the constricted or blocked sections of the vessel with a balloon.
• Alternatively, a small metal mesh tube, known as a stent, can be implanted in the affected vascular regions to restore adequate blood flow, for example to the legs.

Procedures performed by our department with a high level of expertise:

Haemostasis

Minimally invasive techniques also make it possible to stop bleeding, for example in the event of an accident. After puncturing the femoral artery, small metal coils can be inserted into the bleeding vessel to stop the bleeding. Alternatively, the bleeding can be stopped by implanting a metal mesh tube coated with a thin ‘film’, a coated stent, into the vessel to seal the site of the bleeding.

Aortic aneurysm

Lastly, minimally invasive techniques allow an enlargement (aneurysm) of the main artery (aorta) to be treated.

This condition carries the risk of the aortic wall tearing, which can lead to fatal internal bleeding. This condition has been treated using open surgery for many decades, although this is associated with a high rate of side effects.

Today, minimally invasive techniques make it possible to insert a folded vascular prosthesis into the aorta through a small incision in the groin. This allows the vascular prosthesis to unfold and mould itself to the vessel wall, significantly reducing the pressure on the dilated vessel and hence also the risk of vessel rupture. The procedure is performed in our department in collaboration with vascular surgeons.