Coronary Angioplasty (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention) & Peripheral Angioplasty

Angioplasty is a catheter-based procedure used to open arteries that are narrowed, hardened or blocked — helping to restore blood flow to your heart (coronary angioplasty) or limbs (peripheral angioplasty).

Angioplasty is often combined with stenting, in which a small metal scaffold is placed in the blood vessel to ensure it remains open.

Our Approach to Angioplasty

Coronary angioplasty, also called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is a less invasive way of restoring blood flow than traditional open-heart coronary bypass surgery. Our interventional cardiologists are angioplasty experts, with extensive experience and who routinely perform PCI procedures.

While performing your procedure, your interventional cardiologist is assisted by specialized cardiovascular nurses and technicians. The team is committed to providing the best care for your specific condition and unique needs.

Types of Angioplasty Procedures

Depending on your specific condition, your doctor may use one of the following types of angioplasty:

• Coronary angioplasty – used to treat blockages in the arteries of your heart, improving symptoms of coronary artery disease (CAD)
• Peripheral angioplasty – used to treat blocked and narrowed peripheral arteries, improving symptoms of peripheral vascular disease (PVD)/peripheral artery disease (PAD)

How Angioplasty Is Performed

Angioplasty is performed in a special operating room, called a cardiac catheterization laboratory (cath lab).

During this procedure, you are sedated and given local anesthetic to numb the site where the catheter will be inserted. Your interventional cardiologist then inserts a catheter with a balloon tip into your arm or groin. Guided by an imaging method called fluoroscopy, the catheter is navigated to the blocked artery. At the site of the blockage, the balloon at the tip of the catheter is expanded, relieving the blockage. A stent (small metal scaffold) may also be inserted to help keep the artery open.

Once the procedure is complete, you are moved to a special care unit, where you will recover anywhere from a few hours to overnight. During recovery, your care team monitors your vital signs and ensures the catheter insertion site closes properly.