Angioplasty and stenting
When arteries become narrowed or blocked, our interventional cardiologists use minimally invasive techniques, known as angioplasty or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), to restore blood flow fast. Angioplasty is an extremely common procedure that involves widening a blocked artery or vein with a balloon catheter and a small wire mesh, called a stent.
Why Sunnybrook?
Emergency procedures to treat life-threatening heart attacks 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, when every minute counts.
Expertise and innovation in advanced angioplasty techniques, including intravascular imaging, and approaches to treat even the toughest blockages (known as chronic total occlusions).
Expertise in rare conditions, like Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection or SCAD
How it works
Angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that opens up arteries in your heart to improve blood flow. An interventional cardiologist inserts a small tube (catheter) into the artery in the wrist or top of the leg and thread it up to the heart. X-ray dye is injected into these arteries to outline where the arteries are blocked. A small wire mesh called a stent may be inserted into your arteries to keep them open. In other cases, a balloon is inflated in the narrow part of your artery to widen it and push the plaque against the wall.
Stories
Mary’s Story: Heart patients urge others to seek care
Battling heart disease, Mary Mandel urges others to keep their hospital medical appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Patient and family education
Visit our online centre for resources and information about heart and vascular disease, including tips on healthy living, treatments and procedures, and videos.
View all information and resources »
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Refer a patient
Referrals from a physician are required.
Referral Information for health-care providers »Contact Us
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
2075 Bayview Avenue
A-Wing, 2nd Floor, Room A202
Toronto, ON M4N 3M5
Phone: 416-480-6006
