What Is Angioplasty
and Stenting?
Angioplasty (PTCA or PCI) is a non-surgical procedure that opens a narrowed or blocked coronary artery. A thin tube (catheter) is passed from the wrist or groin to the heart, a small balloon is inflated at the blockage, and a mesh tube called a stent is left in place to keep the artery open. Most patients go home in 1–2 days.
Coronary arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. When fatty plaque builds up inside them (coronary artery disease), blood flow drops — causing chest pain (angina), breathlessness or a heart attack. Angioplasty restores that blood flow from the inside, without opening the chest.
Almost all angioplasties today use drug-eluting stents — stents coated with a medicine that is slowly released to stop the artery from narrowing again. The stent stays in the artery permanently and becomes covered by the artery’s own lining within weeks.
At KG Heart Center, interventional cardiologists perform routine and complex angioplasty, including bifurcation stenting, chronic total occlusion (CTO) intervention and treatment of heavily calcified arteries, in two cath labs equipped with OCT and FFR.
- No chest incision
- Local anaesthesia, patient awake
- Usually 30 min – 2 hours
- Hospital stay 1–2 days
- Wrist (radial) or groin access
- Drug-eluting stents
When Is Angioplasty
Recommended?
Your cardiologist recommends angioplasty after tests such as an ECG, ECHO, treadmill test, CT coronary angiogram or a conventional coronary angiogram show a significant blockage.
Because KG Hospital has both interventional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons under one roof, complex cases are discussed jointly so you get the option that suits your arteries — not just the one a single team offers. Read about bypass surgery →
Types of Angioplasty
at KG Hospital
Primary PCI — Heart Attack Angioplasty
Emergency angioplasty performed as soon as a heart attack (STEMI) is diagnosed in our 24/7 emergency department, to reopen the blocked artery and save heart muscle. KG Hospital’s cath lab team is available 24/7 with a door-to-balloon target under 90 minutes.
24/7 EmergencyElective PTCA with Stenting
Planned angioplasty for stable angina or a blockage found on testing. Often done right after the diagnostic angiogram in the same sitting, if the blockage is suitable.
PlannedComplex PCI — CTO & Bifurcation
Specialised techniques for arteries that have been fully blocked for months (chronic total occlusion) and for blockages at a branch point where two arteries meet (bifurcation stenting).
AdvancedCalcified Arteries — Rotablation & IVL
Hard, calcium-filled blockages can stop a balloon from opening. Rotablation (a tiny diamond-tipped burr) and intravascular lithotripsy (IVL, sound-wave pulses) break up the calcium so the stent expands fully.
CalciumOCT & FFR — Why Imaging-Guided
Angioplasty Matters
OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) uses light to take very high-resolution pictures from inside the artery, at 10–20 microns. It shows the exact size of the artery and the plaque, helps choose the right stent size and confirms the stent is fully expanded and well placed.
FFR (Fractional Flow Reserve) measures pressure across a blockage to show whether it really limits blood flow. Blockages that look moderate on an angiogram but do not restrict flow can often be treated with medicines alone — avoiding an unnecessary stent.
Angioplasty Procedure —
Step by Step
Before the procedure
Blood tests, ECG and ECHO are done, and your cardiologist reviews your medicines. You may be asked to fast for a few hours. Tell the team about allergies, kidney problems and blood thinners.
Access through the wrist or groin
The area is numbed with local anaesthetic; you stay awake. A thin catheter is passed through an artery in the wrist (radial) or groin (femoral) up to the heart.
Angiogram to locate the blockage
Contrast dye is injected and X-ray images show exactly where the artery is narrowed. OCT or FFR may be used to measure the blockage.
Balloon and stent
A fine wire crosses the blockage, a balloon is inflated to open it, and a drug-eluting stent is deployed to hold the artery open. You may feel brief chest discomfort while the balloon is inflated.
Monitoring and discharge
The catheter is removed and the access site is closed with a pressure band or device. After monitoring, most patients walk the same day and go home in 1–2 days.
Angioplasty vs Bypass Surgery
at a Glance
| Factor | Angioplasty & Stent | Bypass Surgery (CABG) |
|---|---|---|
| Incision | None — catheter via wrist/groin | Chest surgery (open, MICS or robotic) |
| Anaesthesia | Local | General |
| Hospital stay | 1–2 days | 2–10 days, by approach |
| Return to routine | About 1 week | 1–8 weeks, by approach |
| Best suited for | 1–2 blockages, heart attacks | Multi-vessel, left main, diabetes with complex disease |
Timelines are approximate and depend on age, heart function and other conditions. Your cardiologist and cardiac surgeon will advise based on your angiogram.
Recovery & Life
After a Stent
Most people return to desk work and light activity in about a week. Avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for the period your cardiologist advises — usually a little longer if the groin was used. Driving is generally resumed after a few days for planned angioplasty, but later after a heart attack.
The most important part of recovery is taking your antiplatelet (blood-thinning) medicines exactly as prescribed, usually for several months. Stopping them early can cause a clot inside the stent, which is a medical emergency.
A stent treats one blockage; it does not cure coronary artery disease. Cardiac rehabilitation, stopping smoking, and controlling blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol protect the stent and the rest of your arteries.
Are there risks?
Angioplasty is one of the most common and safest heart procedures. Possible risks include bruising or bleeding at the access site, reaction to contrast dye, effects on kidney function, and — rarely — a heart attack, stroke, artery injury or need for emergency surgery. Your cardiologist will explain your individual risk before consent.
Angioplasty Cost in Coimbatore
& Cashless Insurance
The cost of angioplasty depends on the number and type of stents, use of OCT/FFR or rotablation/IVL, whether it is an emergency, the length of stay and the room category. KG Hospital gives a written estimate after your angiogram.
Angioplasty is cashless at KG Hospital with 50+ insurers and TPAs and under CMCHIS, PM-JAY (Ayushman Bharat), ESI, CGHS and ECHS for eligible patients. The insurance desk sends pre-authorisation within 1–4 hours. Call 0422-4042121, Extn 205. Insurance & cashless details →
Interventional Cardiologists
at KG Heart Center
See all cardiologists at KG Hospital →