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In approximately 15 to 25% of cases in which a patient undergoes surgery to unclog heart arteries (angioplasty) by having a stent (tube) placed in the artery to keep it open, the arteries become clogged again over time. This condition is called in-stent restenosis.

When restenosis occurs, physicians use radiation to re-open the artery in a procedure called brachytherapy.

Following angioplasty, radiation is applied to the artery through a catheter (thin tube) containing radioactive material. The catheter is removed in about five to 15 minutes.

Use of brachytherapy in the setting of stent restenosis is a highly effective treatment.