- Peripheral angioplasty – used to treat blocked and narrowed peripheral arteries, improving symptoms of peripheral vascular disease (PVD)/peripheral artery disease (PAD)
How Angioplasty Is Performed
Angioplasty is performed in a special operating room, called a cardiac catheterization laboratory (cath lab).
During this procedure, you are sedated and given local anesthetic to numb the site where the catheter will be inserted. Your interventional cardiologist then inserts a catheter with a balloon tip into your arm or groin. Guided by an imaging method called fluoroscopy, the catheter is navigated to the blocked artery. At the site of the blockage, the balloon at the tip of the catheter is expanded, relieving the blockage. A stent (small metal scaffold) may also be inserted to help keep the artery open.
Once the procedure is complete, you are moved to a special care unit, where you will recover anywhere from a few hours to overnight. During recovery, your care team monitors your vital signs and ensures the catheter insertion site closes properly.