Also known as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or balloon angioplasty, angioplasty is a common, very successful treatment to open blocked arteries.

During angioplasty, your Inova cardiologist passes a catheter with an inflatable balloon at the tip into a blocked heart artery. The balloon inflates, compresses the blockage and opens the narrowed section of the artery to improve blood flow.