Final answer:
Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) is a minimally-invasive procedure used to widen narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, typically involving a balloon catheter and the placement of a reinforcing stent.
Step-by-step explanation:
Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA)
Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) is a procedure designed to treat atherosclerotic coronary arteries. When these arteries are blocked, they can lead to ischemia, or decreased blood flow, which if left uncorrected, could result in myocardial infarction or heart attack. The PTCA involves threading a catheter with a balloon-like tip through the blood vessels to the site of the blockage, normally starting from a superficial vessel in the leg. Once placed, the balloon is inflated to compress the plaque and widen the artery, thereby increasing blood flow. Following the inflation, a stent is commonly inserted to reinforce the artery walls and prevent collapse, ensuring restored and sustained blood flow.
Lifestyle changes and medication are often part of the overall treatment strategy for cardiovascular diseases, but when narrowed arteries cause significant obstruction, angioplasty becomes a necessary intervention. Besides angioplasty, other surgical alternatives such as endarterectomy and coronary bypass are available depending on the specifics of the condition.