angioplastyk

Angioplastyk, commonly referred to as angioplasty, is a minimally invasive medical procedure used to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels. It is typically performed through a catheter inserted via the femoral or radial artery and guided to the site of narrowing under imaging guidance. A balloon at the tip of the catheter is inflated to compress plaque and widen the vessel lumen, improving blood flow. In many cases a stent—a small mesh tube—is deployed to scaffold the vessel and reduce the risk of re-narrowing.

Variants of the procedure include coronary, peripheral, carotid, and renal angioplasty, depending on which vessels are treated. Coronary angioplasty (often with stents) is the best-known form and is used to treat coronary artery disease, including some cases of acute myocardial infarction as primary PCI. Peripheral angioplasty treats arteries outside the heart, such as in the legs.

Devices used include bare-metal stents and drug-eluting stents, the latter releasing medication to reduce restenosis. Patients typically receive antiplatelet therapy for a period after stent placement.

Outcomes: angioplasty can relieve symptoms such as chest pain and improve blood flow, but it is not a cure for the underlying disease. Restenosis and stent-related complications can occur, necessitating repeat procedures in some cases. The procedure carries risks such as bleeding, vessel injury, heart attack, stroke, kidney injury from contrast, and in rare instances death.

History: balloon angioplasty was developed in the 1960s and refined for coronary use by Andreas Gruentzig in 1977, with stents becoming common in the 1990s.