Patient: Cardiac Disease

Coronary Artery Disease

Approximately 13 million Americans have been diagnosed with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).  CAD is the progressive accumulation of plaque within the arteries as a result of cholesterol deposits and the build-up of other material against the lining of the artery.

"I have undergone 9 angioplasties, have 4 stents and a stent within a stent in the same vessel. With the previous two angioplasties I had no more than two months between complete blockages.  However, as a result of the beta radiation treatment that was done over 12 months ago, I am still free of any type of heart distress.  I really believe that I am still around today due to the fact that I had radiation treatment with the
Novoste™ Beta-Cath™ System."

- George Norwood
Beta-Cath™ System Patient

Risk Factors that predispose a person to CAD

• Hypertension
• Advancing age
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Elevated Cholesterol
• Inactive Lifestyle
• Genetics, family history
• Physical and Emotional stress

Stenosis is the narrowing of a coronary artery, which may or may not be associated with chest discomfort or other symptoms.  In-stent restenosis is the renarrowing of a coronary artery within a previously placed stent.  Vascular Brachytherapy with the Novoste™ Beta-Cath™ System has been shown to reduce the need for repeat procedures due to in-stent restenosis.

 
Stented artery of the leg with area of in-stent restenosis.

 
Balloon angioplasty catheter inside stented artery.

 
Radiation source train placed at treatment site for <5 minutes.

 
Peripheral artery post balloon angioplasty and vascular brachytherapy treatment.

For a visual image of the process of tissue growth within a stent, and the angioplasty procedure followed by Vascular Brachytherapy treatment, click the Video Images section of the menu box to the upper right of this page.