Treatment & Surgical Procedures

Question 1

Removal of atheromatous plaque from the lining of a vessel; may be done by open surgery or through the vessel’s lumen

Answer 1

atherectomy

Question 2

Surgical incision of a scarred mitral valve to increase the size of the valvular opening

Answer 2

commissurotomy

Question 3

Surgical removal of an embolus

Answer 3

embolectomy

Question 4

A mechanical assist device that consists of an inflatable balloon pump inserted through the femoral artery into the thoracic aorta; it inflates during diastole to improve coronary circulation and deflates before systole to allow blood ejection from the heart

Answer 4

intraaortic balloon pump (IABP)

Question 5

A pump that takes over a ventricle’s function in delivering blood into the pulmonary or systemic circuit; these devices are used to assist patients awaiting heart transplantation or those who are recovering from heart failure; most common is a left ventricular assist device (LVAD)

Answer 5

ventricular assist device (VAD)