What Are the Types of Angioplasty?
Angioplasty can be divided into two types. They include:
- Balloon angioplasty: This is a type of angioplasty where the doctor uses the pressure of an inflating balloon to remove plaques blocking the blood vessels. This is usually not done alone except when the doctor cannot place a stench in the right position.
- Stent placement in the artery: This usually involves a tube, or stent, created from wire mesh. Stents are placed in arteries to prevent narrowing after angioplasty. Stents can be made of bare metal or have a coating of medication. They are referred to as drug Eluting Stents (DES) when they have a coating of medication. Drug Eluting Stents can now be used with no or little use of bare metal stents.
Studies show that doctors in the United States of America implant more than 1.8 million stents in a year.