Angioplasty is a procedure aimed towards opening blocked arteries caused by deposits of plaque. If the blockage is not quite severe, the condition may be corrected by inflating the balloon several times to compact the plaque against the arterial wall and regulating the blood flow. A specially designed catheter with a tiny balloon is carefully guided through the artery to the blockage. The balloon is then inflated to widen the opening and increase the blood flow to the heart. Specialists often use a stent to keep the artery open after the balloon is deflated and removed.
However, the effect of the treatment is not permanent as the artery may grow narrow again over a period of time. The chance such an occurrence lowers when stents are used. The patient can be discharged from the hospital 12 to 24 hours after catheter being removed.
