Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) — also known as an angioplasty procedure — is a routine procedure to check coronary arteries for fatty plaque buildups that might cause chest pain or put you at risk for a heart attack.
At UPMC, you will receive your angioplasty care from some of the region's most experienced cardiologists who perform thousands of PCI procedures each year.
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) — also known as an angioplasty procedure — is a routine procedure to check coronary arteries for fatty plaque buildups that might cause chest pain or put you at risk for a heart attack.
Your specialist at UPMC will perform PCI by using a long tube, called a catheter that is inserted into a small incision in your groin or arm.
During your angioplasty procedure, you may also receive a coronary stent. A stent is a tube placed in your artery to help improve blood flow by stabilizing your arterial walls and holding them open. Surgeons often use stenting during angioplasty procedures.
There are several types of PCI procedures, including:
You may need angioplasty if you are experiencing a cardiac emergency, such as a heart attack. You may also need angioplasty if you are diagnosed with coronary artery disease (blockages in the arteries of your heart) or chest pain (angina).
You may be a candidate for angioplasty if you have blockages in your coronary arteries that:
You may also be a candidate for PCI if you are unable to have a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedure to treat your coronary artery blockages.
Angioplasty is a safe procedure. However, like all medical procedures, angioplasty comes with some risks, such as:
Your doctor will explain the angioplasty procedure to you and answer your questions. To prepare for PCI, you should:
On the day of your procedure, be sure to bring your photo ID and health insurance card(s). Leave valuables such as cash and jewelry at home.
After your procedure, you may need to stay in the hospital or be discharged the same day depending on your doctor’s recommendation.
If you stay overnight, you should bring toiletries, a robe, slippers, a cell phone and charger, medications, and a change of clothes. You should also arrange for someone to drive you home from the hospital after you are discharged.
Angioplasty procedures typically take 1-2 hours but may take longer if you have multiple or severe blockages.
Your UPMC specialist will perform PCI using a long tube called a catheter. During your procedure, your doctor will:
If necessary, your doctor may inflate the balloon or use another device several times, or in several places, depending on your blockages.
In many cases, a stent is also placed to hold your artery open. A stent is a small tube made of metal mesh that is placed in an artery to help improve blood flow by stabilizing and holding open the arterial walls.
After your procedure is complete, your doctor will remove the catheters and wires and place a bandage on your puncture site.
During your recovery after angioplasty, you may lie flat for several hours to ensure your blood vessel heals. You may need to stay in the hospital overnight.
Once you can go home, your doctor will give you information about:
Most PCI patients are kept overnight for monitoring, but we understand that people recover most comfortably in their own homes. We now offer some patients the opportunity to go home the same day after PCI.
Following a strict set of standards, we check to ensure you are at low risk for complications and monitor you closely after PCI. In some cases, we can discharge you within hours after the procedure.
Some benefits of same-day discharge include:
For the safety of eligible same-day discharge patients, we provide an on-call phone number that we answer 24 hours a day. We encourage patients to call if they have any questions.
We follow up with patients 24 hours post-procedure to check on their results.
To find out if you are a candidate for same-day PCI discharge, talk to your doctor.
Most people are free to return to non-physical labor 24 hours post-treatment and physical labor 48 hours post-treatment.
You should call your doctor if you are experiencing any unusual symptoms, including:
If any of these symptoms are severe, you should dial 911 immediately.
Angioplasty may reduce your risk of heart attack and other complications related to coronary artery disease. You should talk to your doctor about your prognosis for your specific condition.
Your life expectancy after angioplasty depends on the reason for your procedure and your overall health. Many patients who follow their doctor’s recommendations for lifestyle changes and follow-up care go on to live normal, active lives after their procedure. If you have questions about your life expectancy, you should talk to your doctor.
Angioplasty is a safe and effective procedure for removing blockages from your coronary arteries. Research shows that it is successful in more than 90 percent of patients. Between 30 and 40 percent of patients need future treatment for symptoms that come back.
UPMC has one of the largest and most experienced angioplasty programs in the United States. Our cardiac catheterization laboratories are staffed around the clock with specialists in emergency angioplasty who treat acutely ill patients — including many who arrive by helicopter from regional community hospitals.
Other benefits of choosing UPMC for angioplasty include:
Last reviewed by a UPMC medical professional on 2024-10-01.
