What is Coronary Angioplasty?
Coronary angioplasty, also known as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is a minimally invasive procedure used to open blocked or narrowed coronary arteries. The procedure helps improve blood flow, reducing the risk of heart attacks and relieving symptoms like chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, and fatigue.
During the procedure, a thin catheter with a small balloon at its tip is inserted into a blood vessel in the groin or wrist and guided to the blocked artery. The balloon is then inflated to widen the artery, and in most cases, a stent (a small mesh tube) is placed to keep the artery open.