Coronary Angioplasty and stenting

The Coronary Angioplasty and stenting procedure starts out very similarly to a cardiac catheterisation. A special catheter is positioned at the entrance of the heart artery; a guide wire is passed down the artery and a catheter with a balloon at its tip is positioned at the narrowed segment. The balloon is then inflated, compressing the fatty plaque against the wall of the blood vessel increasing the blood flow to the heart.

In a similar way, a stent (a metal mesh tube), is positioned at the narrowed segment. The stent contains a balloon inside it which is inflated, thereby acting as a scaffold holding the artery opened. Over weeks, the stent heals within the artery wall. It is vital that the blood-thinning medications prescribed by you physician is taking regularly. Disruption could result in poor stenting healing and acute blockage of the stent resulting in a heart-attack.