Congestive heart failure due to coronary artery disease may benefit from correcting blocked coronary vessels.

Angioplasty is a procedure that involves the passage of a balloon-tipped catheter into a narrowed coronary artery. When the balloon is inflated, it widens the artery by cracking plaques.

There are newer variations of this procedure that remove plaque with a rotating blade or laser.

Examples:

• Balloon angioplasty
• Laser angioplasty
• Angioplasty tool

After angioplasty, a stent is used to help hold the artery open. Stents are tiny struts that expand against the inside wall of the artery. They prop open the blood vessel after it has been opened.

Examples:

• Angioplasty stent
• Angioplasty stenting