Procedure Overview
During a procedure that involves a balloon angioplasty, the doctor inserts a small balloon or stent attached to a thin catheter into a blood vessel through a small nick in the skin. The doctor uses x-ray guidance to thread a catheter to the site of the blocked artery and inflate the balloon to open it, flattening the plaque against the wall of the artery to open it and restore blood flow. Sometimes, they may need to insert a small metal scaffold, called a stent, to keep the blood vessel open.
Benefits of this procedure include:
- Reduced narrowing in the artery, resulting in improved blood flow
- Uncommon complications
- Using local anesthesia as opposed to general anesthesia, which involves fewer risks and quicker procedure time
Who is a Candidate
Good candidates for balloon angioplasty include those who:
- Need restored blood flow at site of narrowing or plaque
- This can involved arteries or veins and treatment type depends on the location of the blockage and the severity of the patients symptoms.
What to Expect
During an angioplasty or vascular stent placement, the patient is taken into our procedure room and placed on an x-ray table to assess where the catheter should be placed. The area is then numbed with a local anesthetic, a small nick in the skin is made, and a special catheter with an attached balloon is inserted in the blood vessel.
When the blockage or narrowing of the blood vessels is found, the balloon will be inflated to open the artery. In some cases, a metal scaffold, called a stent, may need to be placed to keep the blood vessel open.
After the angioplasty is complete, the catheter is removed, and pressure is applied to the area for 15-20 minutes or until the bleeding stops. After a dressing has been applied, the patient will be monitored for 2-4 hours until they are ready to be discharged. Patients may typically resume their normal diet and medication schedule the following day unless otherwise directed, and we’ll send a report to the patient’s primary care physician and his or her office will follow up accordingly.
Interventional Center
Jefferson Surgical Clinic’s groundbreaking Interventional Center provides surgeons, physicians and staff with a state-of-the-art facility to perform vascular and endovascular-related procedures. Located on Starkey Road near Tanglewood Mall, treatment at the Interventional Center includes procedures such as angioplasty, dialysis port placement and fistula management, endovenous laser treatment, sclerotherapy and others. See the full list of procedures below.