Saving Hearts, One Stent at a Time: Angioplasty & Stent Placement

Angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat narrowed or blocked blood vessels, typically in the coronary arteries of the heart. It is commonly performed to restore blood flow to the heart muscle in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). During angioplasty, a thin, flexible tube called a catheter is inserted into the blocked artery. The catheter has a small balloon at its tip. Once the catheter is in place, the balloon is inflated, which compresses the plaque buildup and widens the artery, restoring blood flow. Stent placement is often performed during angioplasty. A stent is a small mesh tube made of metal or plastic that is inserted into the artery to help keep it open. The stent is collapsed around the balloon on the catheter and expands when the balloon is inflated. The stent remains in place after the balloon is deflated and removed. Stents can be either bare-metal stents or drug-eluting stents. Drug-eluting stents release medication to help prevent re-narrowing of the artery. Angioplasty and stent placement are typically performed under local anesthesia, meaning the patient is awake but the area being treated is numbed. The recovery time after angioplasty and stent placement is relatively short compared to traditional open-heart surgery. Most patients are discharged within 24 hours. While angioplasty and stent placement are effective in restoring blood flow and relieving symptoms in many cases, they are not a cure for underlying heart disease. Lifestyle changes and medication are often necessary to manage the condition long-term.