Angioplasty & Stenting

Angioplasty and stenting are minimally invasive techniques used to treat arteries that have become narrowed or blocked, most commonly due to peripheral artery disease (PAD) affecting the legs. Rather than open surgical bypass, these procedures work from within the artery itself, via a small catheter access point.

How angioplasty works

Under X-ray guidance, a thin catheter is guided to the site of narrowing, and a balloon at its tip is inflated to compress the plaque against the artery wall and stretch the vessel open. Blood flow through the artery is restored, or significantly improved, without the need for an open surgical incision at the site of the blockage itself.

When a stent is added

In some cases, the artery doesn't stay adequately open after balloon angioplasty alone, or imaging suggests it's likely to re-narrow quickly. In these situations, a stent — a small mesh tube — is placed to provide ongoing structural support and keep the vessel open longer-term.

What it treats

• Peripheral artery disease (PAD) — causing leg pain with walking (claudication), or in more severe cases, critical limb ischaemia with pain at rest or non-healing wounds
• Renal and visceral artery narrowing — in select cases affecting kidney or bowel blood supply
• Dialysis access narrowing — see our dedicated page on dialysis access management

What to expect

Angioplasty is generally performed under local anaesthetic via a small access point in the groin, wrist, or ankle. Most patients go home the same day or after an overnight stay. Walking is typically encouraged soon after the procedure, and most people return to normal activity within a few days — a considerably shorter recovery than open bypass surgery.

Common questions