The arteries are part of the cardiovascular system and are the largest blood vessels in the body. They carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs and oxygenated blood to every cell of the body and the heart itself. A number of disease and lifestyle causes can result in damaging, narrowing and blocking the arteries. The University of California at San Francisco notes that approximately 5 percent of individuals aged 65 years or older have arterial blockages in the legs. Other blockages, such as in the coronary arteries of the heart, are also prone to blockages, particularly in patients with diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol. There are several procedures that help treat blocked arteries.
Angioplasty
MayoClinic.com notes that an angioplasty, or percutaneous coronary intervention, is a procedure used to widen and unblock clogged coronary arteries. This procedure is less invasive than other surgeries and involves inserting a temporary catheter-guided device through an artery in the leg, and then into the blocked coronary artery. A tiny balloon attached to the device mechanically opens up the artery, allowing more blood flow. An angioplasty procedure can quickly open blocked arteries in a heart attack patient.
Stenting
A stent is a permanent device that is used to prop the artery open. MayoClinic.com notes that stent placement may be combined with angioplasty. A stent is a small metal coil that is placed at areas of narrowing in the arteries to decrease the risk of blockages forming again. In some cases, the stents are coated with medication before they are placed in the artery to help dissolve and prevent cholesterol plaque build-up.
Bypass Surgeries
In cases where diseased or damaged arteries cannot be treated with medications or less invasive procedures, surgery may be the best option to prevent a heart attack or stroke. The University of California, San Francisco explains that the most common surgery for blockages in the arteries is a surgical bypass procedure. A bypass involves taking healthy blood vessels from other parts of the body and attaching them to the diseased arteries to provide alternate routes for blood. Bypass surgeries can involve one to four arteries at a time and are termed double, triple or quadruple bypasses.
