You often refer to a “balloon” that gets blown up during angioplasty to widen an artery. Do these balloons ever break? How do you blow them up? And do you reuse them?

During angioplasty, a small balloon nests within a blockage or narrowing in a coronary artery. Inflation of the balloon compresses plaque against the side of the artery wall, and creates a pathway for blood to flow to the heart muscle. A handheld device allows inflation to a specific pressure by filling the inside of the balloon with a mixture of saline (salt water) and contrast dye (to allow x-ray visualization during the procedure). …

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