This is a procedure done on the heart. In it, a doctor inserts a thin plastic tube (catheter) (KATH’eh-ter) into an artery or vein in the arm or leg. From there it can be advanced into the chambers of the heart or into the coronary arteries.

Catheters are also used to inject dye into the coronary arteries. This is called coronary angiography (an”je-OG’rah-fe) or coronary arteriography (ar-te”re-OG’rah-fe). This is done to see if the arteries have blockage that could cause a heart attack. This test can measure blood pressure within the heart and how much oxygen is in the blood. It’s also used to get information about the pumping ability of the heart muscle. Catheters with a balloon on the tip are used in the procedure called percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (per”ku-TA’ne-us tranz-LU’min-al KOR’o-nair-e AN’je-o-plas-te) (PTCA). Catheterization is also done on infants and children to examine or treat congenital (kon-JEN’ih-tal) heart defects.

Coronary angioplasty is a procedure that opens blocked arteries and allows blood to flow to your heart muscle. Angioplasty is not surgery. It opens a clogged coronary artery by inflating a tiny balloon in it. This information sheet discusses what the procedure is, who needs it, how it is done, and recovery afterwards.

A stent is a wire mesh tube used to prop open an artery that’s recently been cleared using angioplasty. The stent is collapsed to a small diameter and put over a balloon catheter. It’s then moved into the area of the blockage. When the balloon is inflated, the stent expands, locks in place and forms a scaffold. This holds the artery open. The stent stays in the artery permanently, holds it open, improves blood flow to the heart muscle and relieves symptoms (usually chest pain).

A stent may be used instead of — or along with — angioplasty. Stents are used depending on certain features of the artery blockage. This includes the size of the artery and where the blockage is. Stenting is a fairly common procedure; in fact, it now represents 70-90 percent of procedures.