Angioplasty is a minimally invasive medical procedure and uses state-of-the-art technology to locate and open blocked vessels and restore blood flow to the heart. An incision is made in the patient’s femoral artery in the upper thigh. A tiny, flexible tube or catheter is inserted into the artery. Using fluoroscopy, the physician threads the catheter to the heart. After the physician diagnoses the size and location of the blockage, the blockage is usually opened by inflating a tiny balloon on the tip of the catheter shaft. To keep the artery open, a stent, or small mesh tube, is often inserted. This technology is essential in providing the prompt care needed to reduce the amount of damage inflicted to the heart muscle during a heart attack.

The cardiologists at Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital have been performing diagnostic cardiac catheterizations for several years in the hospital’s state-of-the-art cath lab, but recent approval from the state allows them to perform emergency angioplasty to open up arteries of the heart during a heart attack.  This is an exciting addition to the hospital’s continuum of cardiovascular services which already includes screening, prevention, diagnostic and rehabilitation services.