In which situation would a Balloon catheter be used?

A balloon catheter is a versatile tool in interventional radiology and can be used in various clinical scenarios. When referencing the use of a balloon catheter, it is important to understand its functionalities and applications:

• To deliver stents: Balloon catheters play a crucial role in stent placement procedures. They can be used to expand a stent to its working diameter during percutaneous interventions, ensuring proper fitting and function within a vessel or duct.

• To occlude flow: Balloon catheters can be inflated within a vessel or duct to temporarily occlude flow. This is often utilized in procedures where it's necessary to isolate a section of a vessel or control bleeding during a therapeutic intervention.

• To prevent thrombus formation: In some cases, balloon catheters can aid in maintaining patency and helping to prevent thrombus formation by creating a larger vessel diameter and improving blood flow dynamics.

Each of these actions reflects the multifunctionality of balloon catheters in different interventional procedures. This is why the answer encompasses all situations mentioned, highlighting the broad applicability of balloon catheters in modern interventional radiology.