Coronary Angioplasty

Coronary angioplasty is a widely performed and minimally invasive procedure to treat blocked arteries, with around one million procedures done annually in the United States and approximately 450,000 in India. This technique restores blood flow in blocked or narrowed coronary arteries, often without the need for general anesthesia. Patients experiencing chest discomfort or at risk of a heart attack due to arterial blockages may benefit from angioplasty, which can be performed during the same visit as a diagnostic angiogram if blockages are identified.

In angioplasty, a balloon-tipped catheter is used to widen the narrowed artery. The balloon is inflated to push plaque against the artery wall, then removed, allowing improved blood flow. A small wire mesh tube, called a stent, is typically placed to keep the artery open after ballooning.