Angioplasty
Angioplasty is a general term for procedures that clear blocked blood vessels.
These procedures include:
Balloon angioplasty
Balloon angioplasty employs a catheter with a balloon on the end. Once the catheter has reached the clogged blood vessel, the balloon is inflated, and reshapes the artery to allow blood to flow more easily. To prevent these areas from eventually deflating, doctors at the Hospital of Saint Raphael often use stents, metal coils that spring open to keep the artery from closing up.
Rotational or rotoblator atherectomy
This uses a special, diamond-tipped burr, or shaver, that quickly spins to pulverize the arterial placque, which is then washed away by the bloodstream.
Directional atherectomy
During this procedure, deposits are shaved off the artery wall, and removed via the shaving device.
Extractional atherectomy
This uses a special device to suction out blood clots from inside large vessels.
