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Coronary artery balloon angioplasty - series


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Procedure, part 3
Normal anatomyIndicationProcedure, part 1Procedure, part 2Procedure, part 3Procedure, part 4Procedure, part 5Aftercare, part 1Aftercare, part 2
Procedure, part 3
The first catheter is exchanged out over the guidewire for a guiding catheter and the guidewire is removed. A smaller guidewire is advanced across the blocked section of the coronary artery and a balloon -tipped tube is positioned so the balloon part of the tube is beside the blockage. The balloon is then inflated for a few seconds to compress the blockage against the artery wall. Then the balloon is deflated. The doctor may repeat this a few times, each time pumping up the balloon a little more to widen the passage for the blood to flow through. This treatment may be repeated at each blocked site in the coronary arteries.


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