Difference Between Angiography, Angioplasty And Bypass Surgery Explained Simply
Your heart is one of the most important organ’s in your body. Keeping it healthy means that you are staying healthy and happy. While this is true, it is also a point that heart problems can come as a surprise and confusion to many. And to add to this are the terms used by the doctors.
Some of the common words used are angiography, angioplasty, and bypass surgery. All these sounds serious and technical. Many think that these are the same things. In reality, all these mean a different thing that you must know.
Where some of these are done to find the problems, others are done to fix the issue. But the confusion is still the same. And if you are one facing the problem, understanding these terms is really important.
This blog breaks down these terms in a clear and simple way, so you know exactly what each one does and why it may be needed.
What Is Angiography?
Angiography is a medical test. It is used to check the flow of blood in the arteries. This test is used mainly to check the flow with the ones connected to the heart. It is not a treatment and it does not fix anything. Its only role is to give a clear picture of what is happening inside your blood vessels.
During the test, a thin tube is gently passed through a blood vessel, usually from the wrist or groin. A special dye is then released, which makes the arteries visible on X-ray images. These images show whether there is any narrowing, blockage, or reduced blood flow.
Doctors use angiography to decide the next step. The results help them determine one of the following two things:
Medicine can help with cure or not.
Is there a need for surgery or not?
What Is Angioplasty?
Angioplasty can be considered as the second stage in the treatment process. It is done when a heart artery is narrowed a lot. This starts causing issues which impact the flow of blood greatly.
The signs that you will see are like:
Chest heaviness
Discomfort while doing normal tasks
Problem with walking
Consistent pain
Feeling of tightness while breathing
At that stage, doctors are no longer just trying to understand the issue. They are trying to relieve it.
The procedure might sound a bit difficult. A doctor is needed to unblock the blocked vessel. This is done to ensure that the blood flow starts again. The process is done with the help of a small tube that acts as a guide for the doctor. It is entered from the wrist or groin. Once they reach the narrow spot, a small balloon is opened for a short time. This creates space inside the artery so blood can move normally again. Many times, a stent is placed there to stop the artery from shrinking back.
For most people, angioplasty brings relief quickly. There is no large cut in this surgery. This means you do not need to stay in the hospital for a long time. The recovery is simple and easy, but still there will be some precautions that you must take care of.
What Is Bypass Surgery?
Bypass surgery is usually considered when the blockage is serious. It can be either just for one artery, or it might have spread across more than one heart artery. At this stage, simple methods are no longer enough to manage the problem. Blood flow is restricted and this impacts your daily life.
This situation can lead to the problems like:
Frequent chest pain
Extreme tiredness
Shortness of breath
Discomfort even while resting
You may think medicine will work. But this is not true here. Even angioplasty is not good enough now.
This is where you have bypass surgery. Here, the doctor does not remove the blocked artery. And now to ensure that the blood flows to the heart, a new path is created. A healthy blood vessel is taken from the leg, chest, or arm. Then the surgery is done. In this, this artery is used to connect the blood flow to your heart. This is usually around the blockage. This helps restore steady blood supply to the heart muscle.
It is a major surgery and recovery that takes time. Hospital stay is longer. It is also important that you take proper rest. This will help you with faster recovery. Listen to your doctor. Take the medications as suggested. Eat healthy and follow the routine as advised. This will help you with better health.
How Are Angiography, Angioplasty, and Bypass Surgery Different?
These three terms are used together which makes them confusing. But they are not steps everyone goes through. Each one serves a different purpose, depending on how serious the heart blockage is.
Angiography is the starting point. It helps doctors see what is happening inside the arteries. Nothing is treated at this stage. It only answers one question. Where is the problem and how bad is it.
Angioplasty comes in when a blockage is clearly affecting blood flow but can still be managed without open surgery. It is meant to improve the situation quickly and reduce symptoms.
Bypass surgery is considered when blockages are too severe or widespread. This is the time when no other option will work for you. The doctors need to operate now. It is to ensure that you get the fix needed. Now, you can live a better life ahead.
To keep it simple, here is what you must know:
To find the issue with your heart, the doctors use angiography.
If the issue is small and can be resolved with no invasive surgery, the doctors go for the angioplasty.
When the problem is major and you need a fix that is complex, the bypass surgery is adopted.
Conclusion
Medical terms are confusing for any normal person. They hear and feel like there is a major problem. The fear creeps in. You start thinking of various situations. Yes, this is true. But if you know their meaning, the situation might change. This is possible when you understand them in simplest forms.
This is applicable to the heart treatments as well. This is why you must know these terms well.
Angiography helps doctors understand the problem. Angioplasty helps ease symptoms when a blockage can be managed. Bypass surgery is chosen when the situation needs a long-term solution.