What does "Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the proximal and distal cephalic vein" mean in a report or doctor's letter? In our medical dictionary, you will find a patient-friendly explanation of the meaning of this medical term.
This is a medical procedure used to open up a narrowed or blocked vein in the arm, specifically the cephalic vein, which runs from the shoulder to the hand. The term "percutaneous transluminal angioplasty" refers to the method used, where a small balloon is inserted into the vein and then inflated to widen the vein and improve blood flow. The terms "proximal" and "distal" refer to the parts of the vein closer to and further from the body, respectively. So, this procedure is performed on both the part of the cephalic vein near the shoulder (proximal) and the part near the hand (distal).
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