KELSEYVILLE – Supervisor Rob Brown was back to work on Monday after undergoing a procedure last week to deal with a blocked cardiac artery.

Brown, 47, said he had a stent inserted into the artery, which had a 90-percent blockage, last Thursday at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Arterial blockages such as Brown had can lead to heart attacks.

A stent is a small metal coil inserted into a blocked artery, according to an explanation of the procedure offered by the American Heart Association.

Stents are put in place following angioplasty, which uses a balloon to flatten the blocking material – called plaque – against the artery wall, the American Heart Association explained. The stent then aids in keeping the artery open and blood flowing.

Brown underwent the procedure in 2002 after he suffered a heart attack. This latest procedure, he said, was for a different artery. The original stent is still working perfectly, he added.

Since his original stent was put in place Brown said he has been careful of his health, including working out daily, and not drinking or smoking.

“I followed the regimen pretty close and have done pretty well,” he said.

But it's hard to overcome a genetic predisposition to certain health conditions, and Brown said his family has a history of heart issues.

So in recent months he was experiencing some mild chest pain. That led him to get a regular checkup and it was during routine tests that the blockage was discovered.

The procedure last Thursday was noninvasive, said Brown, with the stent inserted through the femoral artery.

Immediately afterward the discomfort he had been noticing disappeared, Brown said. “It was obvious that that was what needed to be done.”

He had a slight complication caused by some internal bleeding, so he didn't get to come home until Saturday. Brown said he is still sore and moving slowly but he was back in the office on Monday and plans to attend the Tuesday Board of Supervisors meeting.

Brown said the bottom line is it's important to listen to your body and have regular checkups.

Healthy foods help, and Brown credits eating buffalo – a critter he's become known for raising – for helping him stay in better shape.

The procedure comes in time for Brown to continue his bid for reelection. He's being challenged this year by Cobb resident Robert Stark.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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