Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty (PTA)
Why is the doctor performing this procedure?
To open up peripheral arteries that are narrowed or blocked by plaque build-up (atherosclerosis). The peripheral arteries most commonly affected by atherosclerosis are:
- Cerebral arteries in the brain
- Carotid arteries in the neck
- Renal arteries leading to the kidneys
- Abdominal arteries
- Iliac arteries in the groin
- Femoropopliteal arteries in the thigh
- Infrapopliteal arteries in the knee
What is the procedure?
Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is commonly called PTA, or just angioplasty. A catheter is inserted into an artery—usually in the groin—but sometimes in the arm or wrist. The catheter is advanced to the blocked artery, and a series of x-ray pictures are taken to clearly visualize the artery that is narrowed. Then a balloon-tipped catheter is advanced into the narrowed artery. Inside the artery, the balloon is inflated and deflated several times, compressing the plaque against the artery wall and widening the artery so blood flow improves.
X-rays pictures are repeated, and if the artery has been successfully re-opened, the catheters are removed. Pressure is applied to the puncture site (to stop bleeding) while the patient rests quietly.
Where is the procedure performed?
In the Catheterization Lab or the Interventional Radiology Suite.
How long does this procedure take?
PTA (angioplasty) usually takes 1-2 hours.
Surgeries
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
- Bypass Surgery
- Carotid Endarterectomy (CEA)
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABG)
- Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR)
- Valve Repair Surgery
- Valve Replacement Surgery
Procedures
- Ablation
- Angiojet Thrombectomy
- Aortagram
- Atherectomy
- Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (AICD or ICD)
- Coil Embolization
- Computed Axial Tomography (CAT or CT)/Ultrafact Computed Tomography (CT) Scan
- Coronary Balloon Angioplasty & Stenting
- Coronary Catheterization
- Dobutamine Stress Echo
- Echocardiography (ECHO)
- Electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG)
- Electrophysiology Study (EPS)
- Event Recorder
- Holter Monitoring
- Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Umbrella Placement
- Intraaortic Balloon Pump
- Intracardiac Ultrasound (ICE)
- Intravascular Ultrasound (ICE)
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)/ Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA)
- Medicated Stents
- Nuclear Stress Tests
- Pacemakers
- Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty (PTA)
- Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA)
- Peripheral Stents
- Peripheral Vascular Angiography
- Radiation Brachytherapy
- Septal Closures
- Signal Averaged Electrocardiogram (SAECG)
- Stents
- Stress Echocardiogram
- Stress Test
- Thrombolytic Treatment
- Tilt Table
- Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE)
- Valvuloplasty