Carotid artery stenting is a procedure that involves placing a stent (i.e., a slim, expandable tube made of metal or a hybrid material) into a narrowed or blocked carotid artery to widen it or prop it open. Physicians may also use drug-eluting stents, which are coated with a medicine that helps...
Peripheral vessel stenting is a minimally invasive procedure that involves placing a small, self-expanding mesh tube into a narrowed or blocked vessel to prop it open. Physicians may also use drug-eluting stents, which are coated with a medicine that helps prevent restenosis due to tissue...
Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) is an incisionless surgical approach used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). During this natural orifice surgery, the surgeon inserts the EsophyX™ device through the patient’s mouth rather than through an abdominal incision.
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, sometimes known as cardiac MRI, is a noninvasive diagnostic technique that produces computerized images of internal body tissues. It is based on nuclear magnetic resonance of atoms within the body induced by the application of radio waves. It is...
Coronary atherectomy is a minimally invasive, catheter-based procedure that removes plaque that is blocking an artery and blood supply to the heart. It is a treatment option for patients with coronary artery disease.
There are three kinds of catheters approved for coronary atherectomy...
A central venous catheter (CVC or “central line”) is an intravascular catheter that terminates at or close to the heart or in one of the great vessels. According to the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network, the following are considered great vessels for the...
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), also known as electroshock therapy, is a treatment for severe depression that uses electric stimulus to produce a generalized seizure. Psychiatrists perform this medical treatment on patients who are medication-resistant, suicidal,
depressed, bipolar,...
Flexible sigmoidoscopy is an exam used to evaluate the lower part of the large intestines. It can be used to locate and examine inflamed tissue, ulcers, and polyps, which can turn into cancer over time. Flexible sigmoidoscopy is also used as a screen for colon
cancer. Practitioners use...
During a surgery, test, or procedure, propofol (also referred to by its AstraZeneca brand name of Diprivan®) may be chosen to induce a depression of consciousness during which patients cannot be easily aroused by repeated or painful stimulation. This state is referred to as “deep sedation.” For...
According to The Joint Commission and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), moderate sedation (sometimes referred to as conscious sedation) is a druginduced depression of consciousness during which patients respond purposefully to verbal commands, either alone or accompanied by light...
