What is PTCA?
According to medical definition, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty – or PTCA for short – is used to widen narrowings (stenoses) in the coronary arteries with the aid of a balloon catheter. This is necessary if the vascular stenoses obstruct the flow of blood to the heart or stop it completely in the event of a heart attack. Then the organ is no longer supplied properly, which limits its performance and can be life-threatening under certain circumstances.
To prevent a new stenosis, a stent is often inserted into the affected vessel in the course of PTCA. The tiny metal structure supports the vessel walls and thus keeps the vessel open.
PTCA is most often used for minimally invasive treatment of stenoses in coronary artery disease (CAD) when drug treatment does not produce the desired results or there is a high risk of heart attack. PTCA is used as an acute treatment after a heart attack.
PTCA is a form of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI). This is a collective term for targeted interventions that use cardiac catheters to improve blood flow in narrowed coronary arteries. However, PTCA and PCI are often used synonymously.
What is the procedure for PTCA?
PTCA begins with the physician puncturing the inguinal artery under local anesthesia and carefully inserting a thin, flexible plastic tube (catheter) into the vessel. He then carefully advances this into the coronary artery.
In the next step, a thin wire with a flat balloon at the end is passed through the catheter into the narrowed area in the coronary arteries.
After a few seconds (up to minutes), the pressure is released, i.e. the saline solution is drained again and the balloon is pulled out. Finally, the physician usually inserts a stent to keep the affected vessel permanently open.
PTCA is performed under X-ray guidance after injection of a contrast medium. This allows the attending physician to check the correct position of the catheter, balloon and stent on a monitor.
PTCA: Possible complications
In cardiological medicine (heart medicine), PTCA is considered a gentle and low-risk treatment procedure. It is performed thousands of times a day in numerous hospitals and heart centers worldwide. However, like any medical procedure, it can cause complications, albeit rare. These include, for example:
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- @ Heart attack
- Ruptures in the vessel wall
- Infections
- Thrombosis
- Embolism
