The medical abbreviation "PCI" stands for "percutaneous coronary intervention". PCI is a medical procedure used to treat blocked or narrowed coronary arteries, which can lead to chest pain (angina) or a heart attack.
During a PCI procedure, a small catheter is inserted into an artery in the groin or wrist and threaded up to the blocked artery in the heart. The catheter is used to inflate a small balloon to open the blocked artery and a stent (a small mesh tube) is often placed to keep the artery open.
PCI is a minimally invasive procedure that is typically performed under local anaesthesia and mild sedation. It is often used as an alternative to open heart surgery for patients with certain types of heart disease.