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Coronary Angioplasty
Angioplasty, also known as percuataneous transluminal angioplasty (PTCA), is
a catheter-based procedure used to open coronary arteries that are narrowed or
blocked by a buildup of plaque (atherosclerosis). The catheter, a thin tube,
is inserted into an artery in the arm or leg and guided into the blocked artery.
When the catheter reaches the area of the blockage, a tiny balloon on the tip
the catheter is inflated to enlarge the artery and compress the plaque,
increasing blood flow to the heart. The balloon can be inflated several times
until the blockage is satisfactorily opened.
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Angioplasty is not a surgery. An angioplasty is less invasive than bypass
surgery and has a shorter recovery time. The patient is sedated and awake
during the procedure. An angioplasty can take as little as 30 minutes,
although technically challenging cases can take several hours. The hospital
stay is usually less than two days, and in some instances patients are released
from the hospital the same day.
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