Balloon angioplasty is widely regarded as the most effective first-line treatment for coronary artery disease and heart attacks. Angioplasty is a procedure that uses a balloon-tipped catheter to open blocked arteries and restore blood flow to the heart. Often, cylindrical devices known as stents are placed in the newly opened arteries to maintain blood flow.
Balloon angioplasty is offered by no other hospital in the county, and whenever possible, is a preferable technique to bypass surgery. In balloon angioplasty, a catheter with a small inflatable balloon on the end is positioned within a narrowed or blocked artery. When inflated, the balloon pushes out against plaque on the artery wall, reducing the narrowing until it no longer interferes with
blood flow. The balloon is then deflated and removed from
the artery.
Sometimes a cardiologist finds it necessary to hold the artery open so more blood can get to the heart. If this is the case, a tiny, latticed metal tube called a stent is implanted into the artery during angioplasty. The stent presses against the artery walls and stays in place permanently, holding the artery open and improving blood flow.
