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Procedure
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X-ray pictures are taken to view the catheter as it is passed up the artery, into the aorta, and into the blocked coronary artery. The small balloon at the end of the catheter is inflated and widens the area of the blockage, restoring adequate blood flow through the artery to the heart muscle.
Rarely, a device called a stent may be placed. This is a small tube that is placed within the coronary artery to keep the vessel open. One type is made of self-expanding, stainless steel mesh. (A stent may also be used after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.)
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