Angioplasty or balloon angioplasty is a procedure that opens a blocked artery by pushing the plaque against the artery walls. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is another name for angioplasty. This procedure is done by inserting a catheter into an artery (usually in the groin) and passing it through the aorta towards the heart.
If the arteries feeding the heart are closed or narrowed for any reason, and the person suffers from arteriosclerosis, we use a method called angioplasty for treatment and repair. Angioplasty is performed through the skin to open the arteries of the heart. Angioplasty involves placing and temporarily inflating a small balloon in a blocked artery or placing a stent (cardiac spring), which improves the symptoms of a blocked artery, such as chest pain and shortness of breath. Angioplasty is also used during heart attacks to quickly open the blocked artery and reduce the amount of damage to the heart.