Definition

A medical procedure used to open blocked or narrowed blood vessels, often involving the use of a balloon to widen the vessel.

Example

The doctor recommended angioplasty to improve blood flow to the heart.

Conversation

Did you hear about John’s surgery last week?

Yeah, he had to get an angioplasty done, right?

Exactly! It’s pretty common nowadays, but still a bit scary.

I can imagine! It’s great that he’s recovering well, though.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Angioplasty is formed from "angio-" (from Greek "angeion", meaning vessel) and "-plasty" (from Greek "plastos", meaning molded or formed). The term refers to the surgical procedure of reshaping or repairing blood vessels.

Memory Tip

Think of 'vessel' ('angio-') being 'molded' or 'formed' ('-plasty') to remember that angioplasty is a procedure that reshapes blood vessels.

Visually Confused Words