Angioplasty

In medicine, angioplasty is "endovascular reconstruction of an artery, which may include the removal of atheromatous plaque and/or the endothelial lining as well as simple dilatation. These are procedures performed by catheterization. When reconstruction of an artery is performed surgically, it is called endarterectomy."

Angioplasty may be used to treat coronary heart disease, renal artery stenosis, and carotid stenosis.

As compared to surgery:
 * Angioplasty with stenting is less effective for renal artery stenosis
 * Angioplasty is similar to surgery for coronary heart disease except for patients with diabetes who had stenosis of three coronary arteries. Angioplasty did not include stents in this study.