Who is a good candidate for this procedure, and who should avoid it?
Good candidates include patients with peripheral artery disease (e.g., in the legs) or coronary artery disease where lesions are suitable for balloon angioplasty, especially those with in-stent restenosis or small vessels. Contraindications include severe calcification requiring atherectomy, allergy to the drug on the balloon, inability to take dual antiplatelet therapy, or very long or tortuous blockages. A thorough imaging evaluation is needed to confirm suitability.