Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA)

What is PTCA?

PTCA is a procedure used to treat the narrowing of a coronary artery found in coronary artery disease. A catheter is inserted through an incision site and guided to the heart and to the problem artery. Most commonly, a balloon device is used to push the soft plaque collected at the blockage to create a larger diameter and improve blood flow. If the blockage is especially severe, another procedure called Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) may also be performed.

Why am I getting a PTCA?

Dr. Kiesz has determined that the cause of your symptom(s) is a narrowed blood vessel from the collection of plaque, which decreases vital blood flow. This procedure will reopen the blood vessel, restore proper circulation, and relieve the symptom(s).

Where is the insertion site?

Dr. Kiesz will select the insertion site (either the wrist or the groin) based on access difficulty and patient history.