The growth of neointimal tissue within an artery after angioplasty and stenting.
Revascularization
Revascularization (in open heart surgery) refers to the medical process of restoring healthy blood flow to the heart muscle. Traditionally revascularization has fallen into two distinctive categories:Coronary Artery Bypass Graft and Angioplasty. Recently a new revascularization technique, Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass, MIDCAB, surgery has been developed. Both CABG and MIDCAB are surgical procedures in which the blocked segment of artery is "bypassed" with a segment of healthy artery or vein. Angioplasty is an interventional, non-surgical, procedure that opens the clogged section of artery instead of bypassing it surgically.
Rotoblator
A rotoblator is a small blade located on the end of a catheter (hollow tube). When the catheter is guided down a coronary artery, the rotoblator can be turned to shave atheroma (plaque build-up) off the artery wall. Blood flow through the artery increases once the atheroma is cut away.
