Brachytherapy for coronary artery restenosis

Yale New Haven Hospital offers brachytherapy, a type of radiation therapy, to treat coronary artery restenosis.

Restenosis incidence is about 10 percent and may be present if patients with a coronary stent experience chest pain or angina resulting from their coronary artery disease. An angiogram is performed to check for scar tissue. Depending on the amount of scar tissue, an interventional cardiologist and therapeutic radiologist may perform brachytherapy to prevent scar tissue from forming again.

Before brachytherapy, scar tissue is broken up and cleared from the treated area. A specialized brachytherapy catheter is placed in the site of the former coronary blockage. The catheter delivers radioactive sources to the treatment site to reduce the types of cells that may grow and trigger restenosis. After a dosage is given, the radiation sources and catheter are removed. Patients go home the same or following day after treatment.

A physician referral is needed for a patient to receive brachytherapy at YNHH. For more information, please call 203-785-4129.