Angioplasty
In angioplasty procedures, doctors use a balloon inserted into a blocked or constricted artery to compress blockages and expand width of the artery so more blood can pass through. It is a common treatment for coronary artery disease, which is a hardening or narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. While blockages can be removed and arteries expanded in this way, angioplasty does not cure coronary artery disease. Only lifestyle and dietary changes and a reduction of other risk factors can truly work to prevent the further development or progression of disease.
Stents, tiny metal coils inserted in the arteries which support the blood vessels after they have been dilated and prevent re-occlusion, may also be used in this procedure.