Reliable Stent Placement and Angioplasty in Williamsport, PA
Angioplasty, also called percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is a procedure to open up a blocked or narrow coronary artery. The coronary arteries allow fresh blood to flow to the heart muscle.
Interventional cardiologists at UPMC specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions like coronary artery disease (CAD) and many others.
If you or a loved one has been referred for an angioplasty in Williamsport, PA, Find a Provider at UPMC today.
Why Angioplasty Is Performed
Your doctor may recommend an angioplasty to restore normal blood flow through the coronary arteries. This procedure may be beneficial if you have coronary artery disease (CAD), commonly known as heart disease, or a blood clot. Either of these problems may result in a complete blockage of blood through an artery.
In some cases, a heart attack may require an emergency angioplasty. Doctors may find a blockage while diagnosing a heart attack.
What to Expect With Angioplasty
An angioplasty will be performed by one of our Williamsport cardiologists or cardiac surgeons in a UPMC hospital cardiac catheterization lab (or cath lab). You’ll be sedated to help you relax, but you’ll be awake during the procedure. To begin, a catheter will be inserted into an artery, usually in the groin. Your doctor will use x-ray guidance to feed the catheter towards the damaged coronary artery. A dye will be injected to help your doctor see the artery better on the x-ray. When the catheter has reached the blocked area, a very small balloon will push the plaque (buildup in the artery) aside or a laser will dissolve it.
The procedure may last anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the extent of your condition and time needed to clear the blockages. Once complete, you’ll need to lie still for several hours. In most cases, you’ll stay overnight in a cardiac care unit.
How Everyday Life May Be Different
After an angioplasty, you’ll need to rest for several days. It will probably be at least a week before you can return to work, and possibly even longer before you can resume strenuous activities once again. Cardiac rehabilitation may be part of your recovery process.
UPMC provides expert angioplasty in Williamsport, PA and the surrounding areas, as part of our heart and vascular services.