Cardiovascular System: Operative Terms

grafting of a portion of a blood vessel retrieved from another part of the body to bypass an occluded coronary artery, restoring circulation to myocardial tissue

opening; joining of two blood vessels to allow flow from one to the other

incision and coring of the lining of an artery to clear a blockage caused by a clot or atherosclerotic plaque buildup

a laser technique used to open tiny channels in the heart muscle to restore blood flow

surgery to replace a diseased heart valve with an artificial one

• Types of artificial valves:
• - tissue: most commonly made from animal tissue such as porcine (pig) or bovine (cow)
• - mechanical: made from synthetic material

repair of a heart valve

interventional procedures performed endoscopically at the time of cardiac catherization

use of a flexible fiberoptic angioscope accompanied by an irrigation system, a camera, a video recorder, and a monitor that is guided through a specific blood vessel to visually assess a lesion and select the mode of therapy

excision of atheromatous plaque from within an artery utilizing a device housed in a flexible catheter that selectively cuts away or pulverizes tissue buildup

a method of treating the narrowing of a coronary artery by inserting a specialized catheter with a balloon attachment, then inflating it to dilate and open the narrowed portion of the vessel and restore blood flow to the myocardium

implantation of a device used to reinforce the wall of a vessel and ensure its patency (openness)