Balloon Angioplasty

Angioplasty, also known as balloon angioplasty or Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA), is a minimally invasive procedure performed by an interventional cardiologist for blockage of the arteries.  A specially designed catheter with a small balloon tip is guided to the point of narrowing in the artery. Once in place, the balloon is inflated which compresses the fatty substance called plaque into against the artery wall and stretches the artery open to increase blood flow to the heart.

A stent procedure is used along with balloon angioplasty in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. A stent is a small, metal mesh tube that is delivered through a catheter to the site of a blocked artery and then permanently embedded within the artery. A stent acts as a tiny scaffold to prop an artery open and prevent it from collapsing or becoming re-blocked with plaque.

The stent is mounted on a balloon-tipped catheter, threaded through a coronary artery, and positioned at the blockage. The balloon is then inflated, opening the stent. Then, the catheter and deflated balloon are removed, leaving the stent in place permanently. More than one stent may be placed, depending on how many blockages are present. Over a several-week period, your artery heals around the stent.