What is Restenosis?

What is Restenosis?

Restenosis means that a section of blocked artery that was opened up with angioplasty or a stent has become narrowed again.

There are many treatment options for patients who have restenosis after receiving a stent. The first step in treatment is meeting with an experienced cardiac interventionist (a doctor who performs procedures to open up clogged arteries). The doctor can determine the best type of treatment based on the location of the blocked stent, how badly it is blocked, and information about the patient (such as age, type of cardiovascular disease, and other medical conditions). The doctor will perform a catheterization and can use tests during the procedure to get more information about the blockage by looking inside the artery. These tests include intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT).