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cardiology

Angioplasty and Stents

Angioplasty, also known as balloon angioplasty and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, is a minimally invasive endovascular procedure used to widen narrowed or obstructed arteries or veins, typically to treat arterial atherosclerosis.

By The Treatment Registry

Quick Facts

Price range
Varies by clinic
Recovery
Varies
Sessions
Varies
Category
cardiology
Anaesthesia
Varies
Min. stay abroad
Varies
Price Range (International)
Varies by clinic
Average Recovery
Varies
Typical Sessions
Varies
Category
cardiology

Overview

Angioplasty (balloon angioplasty, or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty) is a minimally invasive endovascular procedure used to widen narrowed or obstructed arteries or veins, most often caused by atherosclerosis. A deflated balloon on a catheter is passed over a guide-wire into the narrowed vessel and inflated, forcing the vessel and its surrounding muscular wall to expand and improving blood flow. A stent, a small mesh scaffold, may be placed during the same procedure to help keep the vessel open after the balloon is deflated and withdrawn. Access to the vascular system is usually gained percutaneously through the femoral or radial artery, or the femoral vein, using the Seldinger technique, with wires and catheters guided to the treatment site in real time under X-ray fluoroscopy and radiopaque contrast dye. Coronary angioplasty treats narrowed coronary arteries in coronary heart disease and is used for conditions such as unstable angina, NSTEMI and STEMI; peripheral angioplasty opens vessels outside the heart, commonly in the legs, abdomen or renal arteries. Compared with surgical bypass, angioplasty is generally a lower-risk option, though it may provide a less durable result and be more prone to restenosis (re-narrowing). Transradial access is often preferred for acute coronary syndrome because it carries a lower incidence of bleeding and vascular complications than the transfemoral approach. A stent may or may not be placed, depending on the vessel and the operator's assessment.

Key Considerations

    Reported outcomes

    Detailed outcomes →

    Complication rate

    1.53%

    Range 1.00–2.07%

    n=2 studies

    Aggregated from peer-reviewed systematic reviews on PubMed. How we extract these rates.

    Common Risks

    • Angioplasty and Vascular Stenting
    • Heart Treatments
    • What Are Stents?
    • Coronary Artery Disease: Angioplasty or Bypass Surgery?
    • Drug-Eluting Stents: Do They Increase Heart Attack Risk?
    • Heart Procedures and Surgeries
    Detailed risk profile →

    Alternative treatments

    Other clinically reasonable options for the same condition. The right alternative depends on the patient's specific anatomy, comorbidities, and goals — discuss with a treating clinician rather than self-selecting from this list.

    Credentials a clinic should hold

    Specialty-board certifications and facility-level accreditations relevant to this procedure. Verify on the issuer's public register before booking — most issuers publish a searchable directory.

    • JCI hospital accreditation

      Issuer Joint Commission International

      Facility-level standards covering patient safety, infection control, governance, and clinical quality. Required by many medical-tourism intermediaries before listing a hospital.

      Verify on the issuer's register →

    Authors cited in the outcome data

    Attribution — the named first authors of the systematic reviews whose reported rates feed the outcome figures above. Listed for transparency, not as endorsement; the registry has not solicited review or comment from these authors.

    Current clinical trials

    Ongoing research studies registered on ClinicalTrials.gov whose intervention involves angioplasty and stents. This is a neutral pointer to public research — not an endorsement, not a recruitment drive, and not medical advice. Trial status changes often; confirm eligibility and current status with the study team via each record.

    Showing 3 recent ongoing studies. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov — all matching trials (U.S. National Library of Medicine, public domain). Retrieved 2026-08-02.

    Recovery Timeline

    Average recovery for Angioplasty and Stents is 0 days. Individual recovery varies — always follow your surgeon’s specific guidance.

    1. 01Day 0–1

      Immediate

      First 24–48 hours post-procedure. Monitoring, anaesthesia recovery, initial pain management. Most clinics expect you to remain on-site or nearby.

    2. 02Day 2–2

      Early recovery

      Wound care, swelling or bruising peaks, restricted activity. Typical window for follow-up visits and drain removal if applicable. Travel is usually not advised.

    3. 03Day 3–3

      Intermediate recovery

      Gradual return to non-strenuous daily activity. Many international patients fly home during this window. Surgeon may require medical clearance for long-haul travel.

    4. 04Day 4–0

      Full recovery

      Return to full activity, exercise, and work. Final results may still be settling. Final follow-up with local doctor recommended.

    If you had an angioplasty for chest pain, you'll go to a recovery room for a few hours. You may stay in the hospital overnight. Your doctor will probably prescribe [medicines to prevent blood clots](https://medlineplus.gov/bloodthinners.html). Most people can return to their usual activities after a week. If you had an emergency angioplasty for a heart attack, you'll need to stay in the hospital for about a few more days.

    *Reference text adapted from MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine, public domain).*

    Questions to Ask Your Clinic

      Browse all destinations offering Angioplasty and Stents →Detailed cost breakdown →

      Frequently Asked Questions

      What is angioplasty?

      Angioplasty is a procedure to improve blood flow in coronary arteries that have become narrow or blocked. Your coronary arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart. If you have [coronary artery disease](https://medlineplus.gov/coronaryarterydisease.html), a sticky material called plaque builds up in your coronary arteries. Plaque is made of [cholesterol](https://medlineplus.gov/cholesterol.html), calcium, and other substances in your blood. Over time, it can narrow your arteries or fully block them. When this happens, some parts of your heart don't get enough blood.

      What conditions does angioplasty treat?

      Doctors (usually a heart specialist called a cardiologist) use angioplasty to:

      What happens during angioplasty?

      Most people have angioplasties in a hospital in a special room called a cardiac catheterization, or cath, lab. You will be awake and lying down. You'll get medicine to help you relax through an intravenous (IV) line. This is a small tube that goes into a vein in your hand or arm.

      What happens after an angioplasty?

      If you had an angioplasty for chest pain, you'll go to a recovery room for a few hours. You may stay in the hospital overnight. Your doctor will probably prescribe [medicines to prevent blood clots](https://medlineplus.gov/bloodthinners.html). Most people can return to their usual activities after a week.

      Are there any risks from angioplasty?

      Angioplasty is very safe, but every invasive procedure comes with risks. You may get a [bruise](https://medlineplus.gov/bruises.html), feel sore, or have some bleeding where the tubes were inserted. More serious problems don't happen very often, but they are possible. They can include serious [bleeding](https://medlineplus.gov/bleeding.html), blood clots, and narrowing of the artery again.

      How does angioplasty work?

      A deflated balloon on a catheter is guided over a wire into the narrowed vessel and then inflated. This forces the vessel and its muscular wall to expand, restoring improved blood flow, after which the balloon is deflated and removed.

      What is a stent, and is one always used?

      A stent is a small scaffold left inside the vessel to help keep it open after ballooning. A stent may or may not be placed during angioplasty, depending on the vessel involved and the operator's judgement.

      What conditions is angioplasty used to treat?

      Coronary angioplasty treats narrowed coronary arteries in coronary heart disease, including unstable angina and heart attacks (NSTEMI and STEMI). Peripheral angioplasty opens narrowed vessels outside the heart, such as those in the legs, abdomen or kidneys, usually caused by atherosclerosis.

      Conditions treated

      Clinical conditions for which angioplasty and stents is a treatment-ladder option.

      Coronary artery disease

      Related Procedures

      Other cardiology procedures in our registry

      Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass (OPCAB)Pacemaker Implantation

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