Pta

Acronym for "percutaneous transluminal angioplasty".

Interventional procedure in which an arterial stenosis (narrowing) or occlusion is dilated or reopened with a (balloon dilatation = angioplasty).

Preferred interventional sites for PTA are the coronary arteries (PTCA = percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty), the A. Iliaca, the a. femoralis, the A. renalis and the A. carotis.

Usually the access is via the groin region. After puncture of the artery, a wire is inserted into the artery through a sheath. This guide wire is pushed over the constriction or through the occlusion. The balloon catheter is then advanced over the guide wire and inflated under fluoroscopic control. This procedure expands the vessel.

Often a stent is implanted afterwards.