Percutaneous coronary intervention, also known as coronary angioplasty, opens narrowed coronary arteries.

A small hollow tube, called a catheter, is inserted into an artery in the groin or arm, and threaded to the affected artery. A thin, flexible metal wire is then advanced through this tube and past the site of blockage in the artery.

A second, smaller catheter is then inserted over the wire and threaded to the same artery. When it reaches the narrowed area, a small balloon on its tip is inflated to reopen the artery and flatten the blockage into the artery wall, while at the same time stretching the artery open to increase blood flow to the heart. Both catheters and the wire are then withdrawn.

About 70-90 percent of coronary angioplasty includes placement of a stent, a wire mesh tube that holds open weakened arteries. The stent may prevent renarrowing after an artery is widened and it stays in place permanently as the blood vessel lining heals over it.