The tube is inserted into an artery in the groin, then guided via X-ray to the site of the blockage. Once in place, the balloon is inflated to gently compress plaque against the arterial walls, and widen the opening. The procedure usually takes an hour or two, and usually requires local anesthesia. Patients may feel some chest discomfort when the balloon is inflated, but once the blockage is compressed, pain should disappear.
Most patients can go home a few days afterward, if their vital signs are back to normal.
While angioplasty usually increases blood flow to the heart, it's not always a permanent measure. Medications and stenting can help keep the blood flowing through the vessels after an angioplasty. Not everyone is a candidate for angioplasty.