Angioplasty/Angioplasty with stenting

Angioplasty is a procedure in which your health care provider inserts a balloon catheter into a blocked artery to unblock the artery. The blocked artery may be an artery in your arm, leg, or neck.

Carotid endarterectomy

A carotid endarterectomy is a procedure in which a surgeon removes a blockage in a carotid artery.

You have two carotid arteries, one on each side of the neck. These blood vessels bring blood to the brain and eyes. A blockage is usually a combination of cholesterol and calcium, called plaque, which has built up in your artery. The buildup of plaque can partially or fully block the flow of blood.

Endovascular stent graft (for abdominal aortic aneurysms)

A narrow, flexible tube (catheter) is put through a blood vessel in the groin. At the tip of the tube is a deflated balloon covered by a tightly wrapped Dacron graft. Once the catheter is in the right place, the balloon is inflated and the graft opens. The graft is longer than the area of the aneurysm and sticks to the inside of the artery wall, removing the danger of rupture.

Surgical aneurysm repair

The aneurysm is removed during surgery and the weakend aortic wall is replaced with a graft (a manmade tube).

Vein stripping

This procedure removes a damaged vein (or part of a vein). Going through a small incision, a flexible instrument is threaded up the vein. The vein is then grasped and removed.

Venous closure

This procedure, used to treat venous reflux disease, is an alternative to vein stripping. Venous closure uses a catheter to deliver radiofrequency energy into a vein. This causes the vein to close and re-routes blood to other healthy veins. Get a VNUS brochure (on the VNUS web site).