Renal angiography is the injection of contrast for renal or kidney artery narrowing along with any indicated angioplasty or stent.

This procedure may be done in our office-based endovascular lab or at the hospital. The location is at the discretion of the physician and patient based on each individual's needs.

This procedure is done while you are awake; however, you will be given medicine to help you relax during the procedure. Using local anesthesia or numbing medicine, a needle is placed in your groin or arm and a small tube is advanced through your artery. Contrast is then injected through that tube and X-Ray pictures are taken.

Angioplasty is when a tiny balloon is inserted through the tube into the area of the blockage. The balloon is then inflated for short intervals to compress the plaque or fatty deposits against the artery wall in order to open the artery to allow more blood flow.

Stents are sometimes used to help keep the artery open after angioplasty. Stents are tiny wire tubes on a balloon. Similar to angioplasties, the balloon and stent are inflated over the area of the blockage. The balloon is inflated at short intervals. When the balloon is deflated and removed, the stent stays in place at the area of the blockage.