Why Do Some Patients Require Bypass Surgery Instead Of An Angioplasty And Stents?

— -- Question: Why Do Some Patients Require Bypass Surgery Instead Of An Angioplasty And Stents?

Answer: Both bypass surgery and stents are therapy that's used to mechanically reestablish blood flow for patients who have blockages or narrowings that are interrupting the blood flow to the heart. Both are very effective and, in certain circumstances, one is superior to the other.

That is, in patients who have so-called, three-vessel disease and decreased heart function, known as depressed systolic function, bypass surgery is deemed to be superior long-term. However, in certain other circumstances, such as a patient that is in the middle of a heart attack, stents are thought to be superior.

However, there are many other instances where the two therapies are thought to be equivalent or the therapy choice should really depend on patient's personal preference.

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