Angioplasty
As a result of the findings of a diagnostic cardiac catheterization, patients may need to undergo treatment for narrowed or blocked areas in their coronary arteries. The term "angioplasty" refers to changing the shape of these arteries to re-establish their openings.
The cardiology team first performs a diagnostic cardiac catheterization, and then introduces additional catheters equipped with device tips that reopen the compromised areas of the arteries. Most often, the team uses a catheter tipped with a tiny balloon that it can inflate to push plaque to the sides of the artery. Sometimes, to traverse the narrowed areas with the balloon-catheter tip the team will need make an opening through the blockage by cutting or burning away the plaque in a procedure called atherectomy.
Angioplasty results in immediate (full or partial) restoration of blood blow in the treated coronary and thus to the heart wall to which this artery provides blood flow. Typically, the team will also place coronary stents in the treated area.
