Angioplasty
Medical term · A
A procedure used to open blocked or narrowed arteries, most commonly by inserting a thin tube, or catheter, into the affected artery and inflating a balloon.
Word parts
angioplasty = angi/o + -plasty
Related terms
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CatheterA small tube that can be passed through a part of the body, for example through the urethra (to empty the bladder).
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ArteryA blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart and to various parts of the body.
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Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplastyA procedure used to open blocked coronary arteries. A small, thin tube with a tiny balloon at its tip is inserted into a narrowed coronary artery. The balloon is then inflated to…
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Primary angioplastyUse of angioplasty as the first treatment to open a blocked artery that is causing a heart attack, rather than using clot-busting (thrombolytic) drugs.