Angioplasty

One way to unblock a coronary artery is angioplasty, or Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA), which uses a small balloon with a small wire mesh tube (a surgical stent[?]) around it to stretch the artery from the inside. It can be inserted using the same instruments as keyhole surgery[?], often making it unnecessary to open up the chest. When the balloon is removed the stent remains behind, keeping the artery open.