Angioplasty & Stenting of the Leg Arteries

Angioplasty

This involves passing a special balloon into the narrowed artery and then inflating it in order to open up a channel through which blood can flow. The advantages are that it can be done under local anaesthetic and does not involve incisions and people usually recover quickly. This disadvantage is that it may not be possible to treat long blockages and that the narrow areas sometimes close down again quite quickly. This means that the benefit may wear off quickly although it can be repeated if necessary.

Angioplasty

Angioplasty and Stenting