Final answer:
Angioplasty is a medical procedure used to widen occluded blood vessels and improve blood flow. It involves inserting a catheter with an expandable tip and using a balloon to compress plaque and open the vessel. A stent is often inserted to reinforce the vessel walls.
Step-by-step explanation:
Angioplasty is a procedure in which a specialized catheter with an expandable tip is inserted into a superficial vessel to widen the occlusion with a balloon. The balloon is inflated to compress the plaque material and open the vessel, improving blood flow. A stent, a mesh tube, is often inserted at the site of occlusion to reinforce the weakened walls.