A material that acts like a dye is injected into the coronary arteries and the heart chambers through a thin tube called a catheter while a x-ray video picture is taken. Similar to cardiac catheterization except that the catheter has a tiny balloon in its tip. The balloon is inflated and deflated to open up a narrowed section of artery. There are some other procedures performed in much the same way as coronary angioplasty. The artery blockage is shaved off in thin strips and removed.
Electrical stimulation is used to record the heart's activity.
A doctor who completes at least two years of subspecialty training after at least five years of training in general surgery. Physicians who perform angioplasties should do at least 75 a year. Surgeons who perform open heart surgery should do at least 100-150 a year. Hospitals performing coronary angioplasty should perform at least 200 angioplasties per year in order to maintain program approval. This is an approximate number based upon a complicated formula.