balloon angioplasty
Quick Summary
(A) In a coronary artery where blood flow is obstructed by the growth of atherosclerotic plaque, the point of obstruction is reached by a cardiac catheter encased in an inflatable balloon and wire-mesh stent. (B) The balloon is inflated, thus expanding the stent, dilating the artery, and compressing the plaque. (C) The balloon is deflated and withdrawn with the catheter, leaving the stent expanded against the arterial wall.
Balloon angioplasty is a medical procedure used to open a blocked blood vessel, most commonly a coronary artery. A catheter with an inflatable balloon at its tip is guided to the site of the blockage. Once in place, the balloon is inflated, compressing plaque against the artery wall and widening the vessel. This less invasive alternative to coronary bypass surgery can restore blood flow and is often performed on an outpatient basis. Sometimes, a stent, a small mesh tube, is inserted to keep the artery open. While complications are rare, restenosis (re-narrowing) can occur, though drug-eluting stents help prevent this.123
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