Brachytherapy------>>>>>>>side effects

I had brachytherapy to fix a twice restenosed stent. It worked!!! I haven't
had any problem at that location for the year and a half since it was done.

The brachytherapy is a two step procedure. First is a fairly normal baloon
angioplasty to squeeze the material (similar to scar tissue) up against the
inside of the old stent. The scar tissue is not removed.

the second step is the insertion of a radioactive bead into the reopened stent.
It is left there for a few minutes and then withdrawn. The purpose of the
radiation is to inhibit the regrowth or reexpansion of the scar tissue.

You will no doubt have another stress test in a few months to check the
results. Good luck. If I remember correctly the chances of success are better
than 80%.

Thanks Mark,
I appreciate your input. I have been pretty stressed about every little
flutter, pain, etc, since the failure of my stress test. It just sometimes
seems unfair when you try so hard w/diet and exercise and still failing. Did
you say you had the brachytherapy twice?

wendy norman said:

I just had brachytherapy 8/19 and cannot find a whole lot of information
about normal/abnormal side effects after surgery. I do have an appt. with
the doctor thursday but would still like to read up on this. Does anyone
have any good URL's or personal information on intravascular brachytherapy.
I am thinking that the scar tissue that formed from my stents may still be
there.

The brachytherapy should keep new scarring from happening more.

--
Dr. Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD
Board-Certified Cardiologist
http://www.heartmdphd.com/

wendy norman said:

Thank you Dr. Chung. I sure do hope that it does. I just want to feel normal
again and not to feel so mortal all the time. Sites on intravascular
brachytherapy are not that informative and I am someone who has a hunger for
knowledge, especially when it involves something so extreme that has
happened to me such as this!!

That's understandable. Please make sure you stay on the clopidogrel as your
cardiologist probably has instructed.

--
Dr. Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD
Board-Certified Cardiologist
http://www.heartmdphd.com/