angioplasty

Definition

A minimally invasive procedure where doctors thread a catheter into your blocked arteries and physically widen the narrowed passages—basically the medical equivalent of using a plunger on your cardiovascular system. Often followed by stent insertion to keep things open.

Example Usage

His coronary angioplasty restored blood flow to the previously blocked artery in under an hour.

Source: Cardiology terminology; Mayo Clinic

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