The next seven minutes could save your life. Home | Why We Do This | Health Library | Find a Doctor | Contact Conditions Procedures Ablation Pacemakers Atherectomy Valvuloplasty Carotid Stents Septal Closures Coil Embolization Coronary Stents Peripheral Stents Medicated Stents IVC Umbrella Placement Thrombolytic Treatment Angiojet Thrombectomy Intraaortic Balloon Pump Coronary Catheterization Radiation Brachytheraphy Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty MID-CAB Bypass Surgery Thoracic Endograph Heart Transplantation Valve Repair Surgery Abdominal Endograph Valve Replacement Surgery Carotid Endarterectomy Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Transmyocardial Revascularization Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery Tilt Table MRI/MRA Aortagram Stress Test Event Recorder Ross Procedure Maze Procedure Holter Monitoring Myocardial Biopsy Nuclear Stress Test Stress Echocardiogram Electrophysiology Pulmonary Angiography Intracardiac Ultrasound Dobutamine Stress Echo Intravascular Ultrasound Echocardiography Electrocardiogram Coronary Balloon Angioplasty Peripheral Vascular Angiography Transesophageal Echocardiogram Signal Averaged Electrocardiogram Computed Axial Tomography Prevention Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) Why is the doctor performing this procedure? To open up coronary (heart) arteries that are narrowed or blocked by plaque build-up (Atherosclerosis). What is the procedure? Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty is commonly called PTCA, or just Angioplasty. A catheter is inserted into an artery - usually in the groin - but sometimes in the arm or wrist. The catheter is advanced to the heart, and a series of x-ray pictures (coronary angiogram) are taken to clearly visualize the heart arteries that are narrowed. Then a balloon-tipped catheter is advanced to the heart, and into the narrowed coronary artery. Inside the artery, the balloon is inflated and deflated several times, compressing the plaque against the artery wall and widening the artery so blood flow improves. X-rays pictures are repeated, and if the artery has been successfully re-opened, the catheters are removed. Pressure is applied to the puncture site (to stop bleeding) while the patient rests quietly. Where is the procedure performed? In the Cardiac Catheterization Lab. How long does this procedure take? PTCA (Angioplasty) usually takes 1 - 2 hours. A community service provided by: Colorado Springs, CO 2008-2012, Copyright, Memorial Health System |  Site Map