What is the surgical procedure described as inserting a catheter into a blocked coronary artery and inflating a balloon to widen the artery?

• A. Angioplasty
• B. Bypass Surgery
• C. Endarterectomy
• D. Stenting

Answer: (A)

Balloon angioplasty is a catheter-based procedure where a small balloon at the tip is guided to the narrowed coronary segment and inflated to compress the plaque against the vessel wall, widening the artery to restore blood flow. This minimally invasive approach targets the blockage directly without open surgery. Sometimes a stent is placed afterward to keep the artery open, but the key step described—expanding the balloon to enlarge the lumen—defines angioplasty. Bypass surgery creates a new route around the blockage using grafts, endarterectomy removes plaque from the artery, and stenting involves placing a scaffold to hold the artery open (often used in conjunction with angioplasty).