Angioplasty,

 also known as balloon angioplasty and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), is a procedure used to widen narrowed or obstructed arteries or veins and restore blood flow.

A thin tube is threaded through a blood vessel in the arm or groin up to the involved site in the artery. The tube has a tiny balloon on the end. When the tube is in place, the balloon is inflated to push the plaque outward against the wall of the artery. This widens the artery and restores blood flow. Sometimes you may need one or more stents to keep the artery from re-narrowing.

A stent is a tiny coil of wire mesh, which is collapsed around a balloon at the tip of the catheter. It is guided through the artery to the blockage. There, the balloon is inflated and the spring-like stent expands and locks into place inside the artery. The stent stays in the artery permanently to hold it open and improve blood flow to your #heart. Once the stent is in place, the balloon catheter is deflated and removed.

Risks may include:

• Blood clots and bleeding
• Heart attack or stroke
• Coronary artery damage
• Kidney problems
• Abnormal heart rhythms