Coronary angioplasty is a common interventional procedure used to improve blood flow to the heart and help improve heart function. Following the angioplasty, patients who had been experiencing shortness of breath or chest pain during exertion should enjoy a marked reduction in symptoms and an improvement in quality if life.
Coronary angioplasty dilates and unblocks coronary arteries; in most cases, the procedure utilizes coronary stents that are implanted within the blood vessel across the blockage. Angioplasty is usually performed following an elective diagnostic coronary angiogram or as an emergency procedure in the event of a heart attack.
More than 10% of all angioplasty procedures done in Israel annually are performed at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.
About the procedure
During the procedure, the cardiologist inserts a thin plastic catheter through an artery in the groin or wrist. Injecting an iodine solution in the artery, the doctor can view the coronary artery under x-ray and identify narrowed areas and blocked arteries. Dilation is done by inflating a “balloon” attached to the tip of the catheter against the arterial walls. Coronary stents are usually implanted since these devices have been proven to keep arteries open long after the procedure.
Coronary angioplasty is performed under local anesthesia, so that the patient is alert during the procedure. Upon request, gentle sedation is administered so that the patient can sleep throughout the procedure. An angioplasty procedure generally takes 30-60 minutes, though duration varies depending on case complexity. Recovery typically requires overnight observation in the hospital and discharge takes place the following morning.
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