What is catheter (PTCA) treatment?

Catheter treatment (percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, or PTCA dilatation balloon catheter, treatment) is one of the methods of treatment for diseases such as angina pectoris and myocardial infarctions that are caused by the heart’s blood vessels (coronary arteries) becoming clogged or narrowed by cholesterol.
Previously it was common to treat such diseases with medication or, if symptoms were heavy, with coronary artery bypass grafting, major surgery with thoracotomy. In recent years, catheter treatment (PTCA treatment), where narrow tubes called catheters are inserted from the wrist or from the base of the foot to widen narrowed blood vessels, has been making notable progress.
Since the treatment doesn’t require thoracotomy, there is little pain for patients (minimally invasive) and the economic burden is lighter such as due to the shortened length of hospital stay which allows early social rehabilitation, and it has now become the main method of treatment for coronary artery diseases.