PAD and Blocked Leg Artery Treatment in Chicago
What is angioplasty?
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) treatment opens blocked arteries in the legs so blood can reach the muscles and skin again. At MIMIT Health, an interventional radiologist uses angioplasty, a small balloon on a thin tube, and sometimes a stent to restore blood flow through a tiny opening in the skin. Most patients go home the same day.
A minimally invasive procedure used to open narrowed or blocked arteries as a result of peripheral artery disease. As a result, blood flows more easily to your legs and feet. It’s more beneficial for patients than open surgery because recovery times are shorter, allowing you to return to normal activities faster.
What happens before the procedure?
Patients undergo a thorough evaluation including blood tests and imaging studies to find the location of the blockages.
You will then receive medicine to help you relax while remaining awake but sleepy. You may also get blood-thinning medicine to prevent clots. Your interventional radiologist will inject numbing medicine for local anesthesia, so you won’t feel pain.
What happens during angioplasty?
After administering a local anesthetic, the doctor will make a tiny incision in the patient’s skin and then insert a catheter.
Through this catheter, dye will be released to create X-rays of the area that the doctor is working on.
When a blockage is found, the physician will use an angioplasty balloon at the end of the catheter to expand it in order to push aside any fatty deposits that are blocking blood flow.
As soon as the openings are unblocked, a stent may be inserted to hold them open and improve circulation.
How long does the procedure last?
Our team completes the procedure in an hour. The actual angioplasty, which involves inserting a balloon catheter to open narrowed or blocked arteries, may only take a short time, usually around 15 to 30 minutes. However, additional time may be needed for pre-procedure preparation and post-procedure monitoring to ensure the patient's safety and recovery. In total, patients should expect to spend a few hours at our clinic.
When is a procedure needed for PAD?
Peripheral artery disease treatment does not always start with a procedure. Medicines and a structured walking program are usually tried first for leg pain that comes on with walking. Angioplasty may help when daily activities stay limited despite these treatments. Pain at rest, or wounds on the feet or legs that will not heal, are signs of very poor blood flow that need prompt treatment.
Balloon or stent?
Angioplasty opens a narrowed artery with a small balloon. A stent is a small mesh tube that can be left in place to help hold the artery open. Your doctor decides whether a stent is needed based on the blockage, and not everyone needs one.
Results and follow-up
Angioplasty and stenting can improve walking and help leg wounds heal, but how long the benefit lasts differs from person to person. Results depend on which artery was treated, how long the blockage was and your overall health. The artery can narrow again, so follow-up visits, prescribed medicines, regular walking, and not smoking stay part of your care.
Risks of angioplasty and stenting
Angioplasty and stenting can cause bruising or bleeding where the catheter enters the skin. Less common complications include injury to the artery, a blood clot, or a reaction to the X-ray dye, which can also affect the kidneys in people who already have kidney problems. Your doctor reviews your personal risks before treatment. Get urgent care for heavy bleeding or a foot that suddenly turns cold, painful or numb.
Related treatments at MIMIT
MIMIT also treats abdominal aortic aneurysms without open surgery.
PAD Treatment FAQs
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Peripheral artery disease treatment is for blocked arteries, not veins. Arteries carry blood from the heart down to the legs, while veins carry it back to the heart. Many people say “blocked veins” when they mean arteries, but the two problems need different treatment. If you have swollen, bulging veins, see our varicose vein treatment page instead.
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Opening a blocked leg artery with angioplasty is not expected to be painful. At MIMIT, you receive medicine to help you relax while staying awake, and a small shot of local anesthetic numbs the skin where the catheter goes in. You may feel brief pressure or a short ache while the balloon opens the artery.
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Most patients go home the same day after leg angioplasty at MIMIT. The procedure itself takes about an hour, and with preparation and monitoring you can expect to spend a few hours at our clinic. Plan for someone to drive you home. Your care team will explain when you can drive, lift and exercise again.
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Angioplasty is not better than bypass surgery in every case. Angioplasty opens the artery from the inside through a tiny opening, so recovery is usually shorter. Bypass surgery creates a new path for blood around the blockage and may suit some long or complex blockages better. The right choice depends on your arteries, your overall health and how long the benefit is likely to last.
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Insurance coverage for PAD treatment, including angioplasty and stenting, depends on your plan and your diagnosis. Some plans require approval before treatment. MIMIT Health does not accept Medicaid, including plans that combine Medicare and Medicaid. Call (708) 486-2600 to check your coverage and ask about any costs before you schedule.
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To book a visit for blocked arteries in your legs, call MIMIT Health at (708) 486-2600 or use the Schedule an Appointment button on this page. Bring your medication list and any recent circulation tests or scans. MIMIT treats PAD at all four offices: Des Plaines, Hinsdale, Chicago South Loop and Chicago North. We welcome referrals from your doctor.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Paramjit "Romi" Chopra, M.D., interventional radiologist - October 2026
Before treatment
After treatment
Before treatment
After treatment
