My last procedure was done by Dr. Sclafani. 14 mm. balloon was used for my first procedure and 16 mm for the last two. Having the procedure 4 times/year wouldn't help me; I would need to repeat it once per week.Liberation wrote: Where did you have the operation? 14 mm sounds a smaller balloon, doesn't it? Mine was done with a smaller balloon and I got restenoses also in a week or two. My doctor told me that they just started a new group of patients whose veins will be dilated 4 times a year. They think it is a safer way than using extra large balloons. It would be really good if IRs would exchange notes with each other and they would have reliable data on their patients. We would save lot of time, damages and unneccessary procedures.
Did they say anything about why restenoses happens so quickly? I guess it is a pure elastic recoil. Did they dilate the valves or break the annulus?
Nobody knows why the quick restenosis. It might be elastic recoil, fusion of the valve leaflets or extrinsic compression from a muscle, tendon or blood vessel or a combination of the above.
I think a 16 mm balloon would dilate the valve and stretch the annulus but I do not think it would break it.
Time will tell