Angioplasty is a procedure performed to open up the blockages in the blood vessels of the heart (coronary arteries).

"Percutaneous" means the procedure is done through the skin.

"Transluminal" means the procedure is done inside the artery.

"Coronary" means the artery of the heart.

"Angioplasty" is the technique of widening the blocked artery with a balloon.

During this procedure, a balloon-tipped tube is fed through a plastic tube called a sheath that is placed in the groin or the arm and directed into the coronary artery. When the balloon is positioned at the site of the blockage, it is inflated and deflated several times. The balloon stretches the artery and flattens the fatty deposits against the wall of the artery, leaving a wider path for blood to flow to the heart.

Other interventional cardiology procedures may be performed in conjunction with the balloon angioplasty, such as atherectomy, laser angioplasty, intracoronary stenting, and intravascular ultrasound.