Coronary angioplasty is a procedure that opens up coronary arteries that have become blocked.
It is a very effective non-surgical treatment for some forms of coronary artery disease . A balloon-tipped catheter is guided through a blood vessel to the partially blocked coronary artery. X-ray cameras help the cardiologist guide the catheter to the area to be treated. When the tip of the catheter reaches the middle of the blocked area, the balloon is inflated to push the fatty deposits that are blocking the artery back against the artery walls. This usually results in the opening of the blocked vessel.