Peripheral Angiography
Percutaneous
Interventions in Peripheral Arterial Diseases
1. What is an artery? What is a peripheral artery?
The Turkish word for artery is 'artery vessel'. Arteries can be defined as
the system of pipes that carry the blood pumped from the heart. The brain,
muscles, arms, legs, lungs, skin, all organs in the abdomen (liver, stomach,
intestines, kidneys, spleen, etc.), in short, all tissues receive oxygen and
nutrition from the blood carried by arteries. A peripheral artery is the
general name given to the arteries leading to all tissues and organs other than
the heart (listed above).
2. What is peripheral arterial disease?
Peripheral arterial disease is a condition in which the arteries become
narrowed as a result of bulges between the layers of the arterial wall, often
with a high cholesterol (a type of fat found in the body) content, extending
into the artery, and as a result, the blood supply to the area supplied by the
artery is insufficient. Sometimes narrowing of the blood vessels can also occur
as a result of inflammatory diseases of the vascular wall, rheumatic diseases,
diseases involving the immune system, clotting in the vein, congenital diseases
or other disorders.
3. What is a catheter?
A catheter is a thin tube that is inserted into the arteries or veins
through a small incision in the skin. They come in different lengths,
thicknesses and curvatures and are used both to visualize different vessels and
to deliver thin wires, balloons, stents, lasers, twisted devices, sound wave
emitting devices and other materials through them. In other words, they can be
used for both diagnosis and treatment.
4. What is iodinated contrast media?
Iodinated contrast media are, as the name suggests, chemical compounds
containing iodine. When injected into the vein through a catheter, it makes the
veins visible on the X-ray machine, so that the doctor can see the vein and the
disease in the vein, and if the vein has been dilated, whether it has been
dilated adequately and appropriately.
5. What is peripheral angioplasty (vasodilation)
and how is it done?
Peripheral arteries that are narrowed or blocked are dilated by inserting
balloons, stents (wireframes), lasers, devices with small cutting blades,
ultrasonic sound waves, devices that absorb clots, devices that emit radiation
into the vessel wall to prevent re-narrowing, and similar devices. The most
commonly used of these devices are balloons and stents. Other devices are used
in special cases. Peripheral angioplasty can be performed on the vessels of the
brain, the vessels of the arms and legs, the aorta, the main vessels that
branch off from the aorta, the vessels leading to the lungs and the vessels of
the kidneys. Depending on the diameter
of the vessels opened, the length of the stenosis, the patient's comorbidities
and some other factors, a narrowing of the treated vessel may occur, usually in
the range of 5-50% within the first 6 months following the procedure. You can
ask your doctor about the risk of re-narrowing in your case.
6. Will medication be used before and after the procedure?
Anti-coagulants are often used to widen stenoses in the blood vessels. Some of
these medications (e.g. aspirin or its equivalents) can be given orally before
the procedure and can be used for a long time or even for life after the
procedure. Also during the procedure, anticoagulants or clot-dissolving drugs,
as well as vasodilators, can be administered directly into the vein. In some
patients, tranquilizers can also be administered intravenously.
