What does Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (Drug-Eluting Stent) involve?

This is a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure to open narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. A thin tube is inserted through the wrist or groin artery, guided to the heart, and a balloon expands to compress the plaque. A drug-eluting stent—a small mesh tube coated with medication—is then placed to keep the artery open and reduce the risk of re-narrowing. The procedure typically takes 1–2 hours, with same-day or overnight hospital stay.