Balloon angioplasty is a minimally invasive technique that can be used to open clogged arteries. To perform angioplasty, your vascular specialist will make a small puncture in the artery in your groin and slip a small plastic tube called a sheath into your artery. Your physician will then place a balloon catheter through the sheath and, while watching with live X-ray images, will maneuver the balloon to the area of your blockage. The balloon is inflated to fracture the plaque buildup that is blocking the artery, which creates a wider channel for blood flow through the artery.
 
 Sometimes a stent will also be placed in the artery. A stent is an expandable wire mesh tube that is maneuvered into place on a balloon catheter. The stent expands as the balloon is inflated. After the stent is deployed, the balloon catheter is withdrawn leaving the stent in place. The purpose of the stent is to provide a smooth surface on the inside of the vessel, creating a better channel for blood flow.