Usually this procedure will be done thru the wrist, or rarely thru the groin, and you will be required to stay in the hospital overnight.
Your treating cardiologist will make decision to perform angioplasty stenting at the same time as angiogram is done, depending on multiple factors- like kidney function.
Coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is a procedure that opens up narrowed or blocked segments of the arteries that supply blood to your heart muscle – the coronary arteries. A catheter with an empty balloon on its tip is guided into the narrowed part of the artery. The balloon is inflated to open the narrowed artery and flatten the plaque against the artery wall.
To perform a coronary angioplasty, an x-ray picture, or angiogram of the artery must first be taken. A guide wire is inserted into the radial artery of the hand/ femoral artery of the leg and threaded up the aorta to the heart. A “guide” catheter is then inserted over the guide wire and advanced to a position near the coronary arteries. The guidewire is withdrawn and the guiding catheter is manipulated just inside the coronary arteries, one at a time. Contrast (“X-ray dye”) is injected through the catheter allowing a picture of the artery to be taken. Using the angiogram as a reference, a deflated balloon catheter is then guided through the guide catheter to the site of narrowing using a different, thinner guidewire system. The balloon is inflated to open the narrowed artery and flatten the plaque. The balloon catheter and guide wire are then removed.
Manual pressure or a plug may be inserted to stop bleeding from the puncture site. Patient is shifted to coronary care unit after angioplasty for observation