If you have coronary atherosclerosis, you may need treatment to open blocked arteries.
There are various surgical and non-surgical treatments for atherosclerosis. These include:
- Angioplasty and stent placement: Our interventional cardiologists use angioplasty and stent placement to remove plaque buildup and open narrowed arteries. During angioplasty and stent placement, doctors place a thin tube (catheter) into a blood vessel in your wrist or leg. They thread this tube to your affected artery. Once the tube is in place, your doctor may open your artery by expanding a balloon. They may also insert a small metal tube (stent) to hold the artery open. Angioplasty and stent placement is also called percutaneous coronary intervention.
- Coronary artery bypass graft surgery: During coronary artery bypass graft , (CABG) surgery surgeons remove a healthy section of blood vessel from your chest, arm or leg. Then, they sew (graft) it above and below your narrowed or blocked artery. This allows blood to bypass the blocked area to reach the heart muscle. Emory Heart & Vascular offers traditional open CABG surgery and minimally invasive robotic CABG surgery.
- Hybrid coronary artery revascularization: This procedure combines angioplasty and stenting with robotic CABG surgery. Learn about hybrid coronary artery revascularization.
