Information for the public
The procedure
The procedure
The procedure is usually done using a local anaesthetic, and the patient is given a medicine to stop their blood clotting. A catheter (a thin, flexible tube) carrying a folded balloon is inserted into a vein in the groin or neck. It is then guided to the narrowed artery in the lung. The balloon is then positioned at the site of the narrowing and inflated to widen the artery. The aim is to improve blood flow through the lungs and reduce back-pressure on the heart.