A balloon catheter is used to compress plaque within a clogged coronary artery. A coronary artery stent is a small, metal mesh tube that expands inside a coronary artery. Balloon catheters are also utilized in the deployment of stents during angioplasty. Balloon catheters are supplied to the catheter lab with a stent pre-mounted on the balloon. A stent is often placed during or immediately after angioplasty.

This purchase is exempt from the usual selection processes of the Procurement Code because the procurement expenditure is for medical supplies or medical services necessary for the delivery of care and treatment at medical, dental, or veterinary teaching facilities utilized by SIU or U of I (30 ILCS 500 / 1-13(b-5)) The hospital performs angioplasties on patients and the vascular stents, coils, balloons, and catheters are required components to complete the procedure that improves patient health.