Dr. Thomas K. Chin, MD

During angioplasty, a patient is given a sedative while lying on a table under an x-ray machine. A catheter (a thin, flexible, and hollow tube) is inserted into the patient's skin in the arm or groin and guided into the blocked artery. Dye is injected via the catheter, and x-rays are used to position the tip of the catheter exactly at the blockage. The tiny balloon is guided through the catheter and inflated with saline. It pushes the plaque out of the way, squishing it against the walls of the artery. The balloon may be inflated and deflated several times to let blood pass by. A stent, a tiny tube of metal mesh like a spring, may be inserted to help keep the artery open. Then the x-ray is used again to check that blood is flowing properly, the catheter is removed, and the tiny incision is bandaged.

There are no nerves within veins and arteries, so an angioplasty is generally not painful. However, there may be some discomfort at the site of the incision and when the balloon is inflated. Overall, angioplasty is a very effective and low-risk procedure, useful for helping patients avoid more difficult bypass surgery.

An intra-aortic balloon pump is a small, sausage-shaped balloon at the end of a catheter, or very thin, flexible tube. An incision is made (usually in the groin), and the deflated balloon and catheter are threaded through an artery to the aorta, the large main artery that takes oxygen-filled blood from the heart to the rest of the body. The pump can also be placed during open-heart surgery. If this is the case, it is positioned directly into the aorta. Once in place, the balloon inflates and deflates in rhythm with the heart. When it inflates, it pushes blood back towards the heart to help the heart muscle get enough oxygen and fill correctly. When the IABP deflates, just before the heart contracts, it lowers the pressure in the aorta slightly. This helps move blood away from the heart and into the body.

An IABP is a short-term solution, used for only hours or up to a few weeks at most. The pump is powered and controlled by a computer outside the body, so during treatment patients must remain lying down in their hospital bed. Insertion of the device is performed at a cardiac catheterization lab or operating room, and patients with an intra-aortic balloon pump often stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). While it is not a particularly painful treatment, it is common for patients to hear and feel the balloon inflating and deflating within their chest, which can be unsettling. However, IABP is a safe and effective treatment for supporting the heart.

Asthma is a chronic disease where swollen, inflamed airways make it hard to breathe. It is often brought on by specific triggers. While asthma is a common condition, affecting millions of people, it can also be serious and even fatal in severe cases. Treatment involves avoiding triggers and using inhaled corticosteroid medications.

COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is the name given to two illnesses that both cause difficulty breathing: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In emphysema, the air sacs of the lungs become damaged, while with bronchitis they become clogged with mucus. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. It is almost always caused by breathing irritants into the lungs, such as smoking or heavy pollution.

Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by bacteria, a virus, or fungi. Most healthy people recover from pneumonia in a week or two, but for some people pneumonia can be fatal. There are treatments available for pneumonia, but the best treatment is to prevent getting sick in the first place. People who are at risk should make sure they get a flu shot every year. There is also a vaccine available for the type of bacteria that causes pneumonia.

Lung cancer occurs when abnormal cells inside the lung grow into a tumor, destroying healthy tissue. Because it is so difficult to detect lung cancer in early stages when it has few symptoms, it is the deadliest form of cancer, responsible for the most cancer deaths both in the U.S. and worldwide. Most lung cancer is caused by exposure to tobacco smoke, but between 10-15% of cases are not linked to smoking.

Some problems with the lungs are minor and are not cause for concern. However if symptoms have lasted for a month or more, even if they are minor, it is worth checking with a healthcare professional. A cough, shortness of breath, or excess mucus production that lingers for weeks are all worth getting looked at.