Angioplasty | 3D Animation + Real Footage

This 3D animation shows you the steps of an angioplasty. This video might help you prepare for an angioplasty. What is an angioplasty? Angioplasty is a procedure to improve blood flow in coronary arteries that have become narrow or blocked. It restores blood flow to the heart muscle without open-heart surgery. A long, thin tube (catheter) is put into a blood vessel and guided to the blocked coronary artery. Once the catheter is in place, a balloon is inflated at the narrowed area of the heart artery. This presses the plaque or blood clot against the sides of the artery, making more room for blood flow. Angioplasty is often combined with the placement of a small wire mesh tube called a stent. The stent helps prop the artery open, decreasing its chance of narrowing again. Timecodes: 0:00 What is an angioplasty? 0:07 Incision in groin/wrist 0:16 Insertion of catheter 0:20 Injection of dye 0:34 Blocked coronary arteries? 0:52 Inflation of the balloon 1:20 Blood flow restored