[an-jee-uh-plas-tee] 
| the repair of a blood vessel, as by inserting a balloon-tipped catheter to unclog it or by replacing part of the vessel with either a piece of the patient's own tissue or a prosthetic device: coronary angioplasty to widen an artery blocked by plaque. |
an·gi·o·plas·ty (ān'jē-ə-plās'tē)  (click for larger image in new window) n. pl. an·gi·o·plas·ties The surgical repair of a blood vessel, either by inserting a balloon-tipped catheter to unblock it, or by reconstructing or replacing part of the vessel. |
A surgical technique in which a catheter containing a small balloon is inserted into arteries around the heart. The balloon is inflated to compress deposits of fatty substances blocking the artery, thereby restoring the flow of blood.
Note: Also called balloon therapy.
angioplasty an·gi·o·plas·ty (ān'jē-ə-plās'tē)
n.
Surgical reconstruction of a blood vessel.
Balloon angioplasty.
angioplasty (ān'jē-ə-plās'tē) Pronunciation Key
(click for larger image in new window) The surgical repair of a blood vessel, such as an obstructed coronary artery, usually by inflating a small balloon at the end of a catheter. |
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