In the throes of a heart attack, artery-opening angioplasty is a lifesaver. The same can't be said when it's done to open a narrowed heart artery that isn't causing problems. ... Some angioplasties are done to stop a heart attack, others to relieve severe chest pain. Angioplasty is done using a thin, soft tube called a catheter. A doctor inserts the catheter into a blood vessel in the groin or wrist. Angioplasty is a procedure to restore blood flow through the artery. The doctor threads a thin tube through a blood vessel in the arm or groin up to the involved site in the artery. The tube has a tiny balloon on the end. It uses a balloon-tipped catheter to open a blocked blood vessel and improve blood flow. It opens blocked arteries and restores normal blood flow to your heart muscle. It is not major surgery. It is done by threading a catheter (thin tube). It is a treatment that uses stents to improve blood flow to the heart by opening a narrowed or blocked coronary artery. Angioplasty, also called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is a procedure used to open blocked coronary arteries (caused by coronary artery disease).