Restenosis literally means the reoccurrence of stenosis. This is usually restenosis of an artery, or other blood vessel, but possibly any hollow organ that has been "unblocked". This term is common in vascular surgery, cardiac surgery, interventional radiology, or interventional cardiology following angioplasty, all branches of medicine that frequently treat stenotic lesions. A stenosis is an abnormal narrowing in a blood vessel or other tubular organ or structure. ... Section of an artery An artery or arterial is also a class of highway. ... The arterial system The blood vessels are part of the circulatory system and function to transport blood throughout the body. ... Vascular surgery is the branch of surgery that occupies itself with surgical interventions of arteries and veins, as well as conservative therapies for disease of the peripheral vascular system. ... Cardiac surgery is surgery on the heart, typically to correct congenital heart disease or the complications of ischemic heart disease or valve problems created by various causes including endocarditis. ... Interventional Radiology (IR) is a subspecialty of Medical imaging (Radiology) in which minimally invasive procedures are performed using image guidance. ... Interventional cardiology is a branch of the medical specialty of cardiology that deals specifically with the mechanical treatment of heart diseases. ... Angioplasty is the mechanical dilation of an artery that has been obstructed, generally due to atheroma (the lesion of atherosclerosis). ... Medicine on the Web NLM (National Library of Medicine, contains resources for patients and healthcare professionals) Virtual Hospital (digital health sciences library by the University of Iowa) Online Medical Dictionary Collection of links to free medical resources Categories: Medicine | Health ...

Coronary restenosis

There are probably several mechanisms that lead to restenosis. An important one is the inflammatory response, which induces tissue proliferation around an angioplasty site. Inflammation is the first response of the immune system to infection or irritation and may be referred to as the innate cascade. ...

Cardiologists have tried a number of approaches to decrease the risk of restenosis. Stenting is becoming more commonplace; after balloon angioplasty, a metal mesh is pressed against the wall of the artery that has been opened, decreasing the risk of restenosis. Other approaches include local radiotherapy and the use of immunosuppressive drugs, coated onto the stenting mesh. Analogues of rapamycin, such as tacrolimus (FK-506), sirolimus and more so everolimus, normally used as immunosuppressants but recently discovered to also inhibit the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells, have appeared to be quite effective in preventing restenosis in clinical trials. In medicine, a stent is an expandable wire mesh tube that is inserted into a hollow structure of the body to keep it open. ... Radiation therapy (or radiotherapy) is the medical use of ionizing radiation as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells (not to be confused with radiology, the use of radiation in medical imaging and diagnosis). ... Immunosuppression is the medical suppression of the immune system. ... Sirolimus is a relatively new immunosuppressant drug used to prevent rejection in organ transplantation, and is especially useful in kidney transplants. ... Tacrolimus (also FK-506 or Fujimycin) is an immunosuppressive drug. ... Sirolimus is a relatively new immunosuppressant drug used to prevent rejection in organ transplantation, and is especially useful in kidney transplants. ... Everolimus is a new mTOR inhibitor drug used as an immunosuppressant to prevent rejection of organ transplants. ... The arterial system The blood vessels are part of the circulatory system and function to transport blood throughout the body. ... Smooth muscle is a type of non-striated muscle, found within the walls of hollow organs; such as blood vessels, bladders, uteri. ... In medicine, a clinical trial (synonyms: clinical studies, research protocols, medical research) is a research study. ...