The nurse is educating a patient scheduled to undergo a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The nurse explains that a balloon-tipped catheter will:

Explanation

• During a PTCA, a balloon-tipped catheter is inserted via the femoral or radial artery and is advanced along into the coronary arteries. There, the balloon is carefully inflated to compress the atheromatous plaque against the walls of the vessel, widening the lumen of the vessel that had been narrowed by the plaque and restoring perfusion to myocardium in that area

• Incorrect: Placing a mesh device to keep the artery patent describes the placement of a stent

• Incorrect: Measuring coronary artery pressure describes a process done during cardiac catheterization

• Incorrect: Cauterizing the plaque describes coronary atherectomy

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