Will I Be Home the Same Day? Recovery Times for Angioplasty, Stents & Vascular IR

Medicine Made Simple Summary 

If you’ve been told you need an angioplasty, stent, or another vascular interventional radiology (IR) procedure, you might wonder: How long will I be in the hospital? The good news is that most of these treatments are minimally invasive and often don’t require an overnight stay. Because the incisions are tiny and guided by imaging, recovery is faster, pain is less, and most people go home within hours. This guide explains what to expect before, during, and after, and how to make recovery smoother.

1. What are angioplasty, stents, and vascular IR procedures?

Your body’s blood vessels are like highways carrying oxygen and nutrients everywhere. When those highways get narrowed or blocked—because of fatty buildup (plaque), blood clots, or disease—circulation slows down.
Vascular interventional radiology offers ways to fix those blockages using imaging and tiny instruments instead of open surgery.

Angioplasty means using a small balloon to open a narrowed artery.
A stent is a mesh-like metal tube placed inside the artery to keep it open.
Other vascular IR procedures include removing clots, sealing bleeding vessels, or improving circulation in the legs, kidneys, or liver.

Because these treatments use catheters and imaging rather than large incisions, recovery is much quicker and smoother than with conventional surgery.

2. Why these procedures are often “day-care” treatments

Most angioplasty and vascular IR procedures are done through a small puncture, often in your wrist or groin. You’re usually awake but sedated—meaning you’re relaxed, comfortable, and pain-free.
The procedure itself may take one to two hours, and patients typically stay in recovery for observation for a few more hours afterward.

If there are no complications, many people return home the same day.
In some cases—especially if you have other health problems, or if the procedure was done after a heart attack or major event—an overnight stay may be recommended.

The move toward day-care vascular interventions has grown because the results are excellent and the recovery times are shorter. Hospitals can monitor patients briefly after the procedure, ensuring safety while allowing a quicker return home.

3. What to expect right after your procedure

Once your angioplasty or stenting is done, you’ll be moved to a recovery area where nurses will monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, and the puncture site.
If the access was through the wrist, you’ll have a small band to apply gentle pressure. If it was through the groin, you may need to lie flat for a couple of hours to prevent bleeding.

You’ll stay under observation until you’re stable and can eat, drink, and walk safely. You may feel mild soreness or bruising near the entry site, but this usually resolves within days.
If you were sedated, you’ll feel drowsy for a while, so it’s important to have someone drive you home.

Most people go home the same day—typically 4–8 hours after the procedure—especially if it was planned (not emergency) and uncomplicated.

4. Factors that decide whether you stay overnight

Not everyone can go home immediately. Your doctor will decide based on factors such as:

• The type and complexity of the procedure.

• Whether multiple vessels or organs were treated.

• Your overall health—especially heart, kidney, or lung function.

• Whether you were treated for an emergency (like a heart attack or acute blockage).

• How your body responds afterward (e.g., stable vital signs, no bleeding).

For example, a simple leg angioplasty might allow same-day discharge, while a complex procedure involving multiple arteries or a high-risk patient might need an overnight stay.

5. How to care for yourself at home

Recovery from vascular IR is generally smooth, but your actions in the first few days matter.

Rest for the first 24 hours, avoid lifting heavy objects, and keep the access site clean and dry.
You may shower the next day unless told otherwise.
Mild bruising is common, but contact your doctor if you notice increased swelling, bleeding, severe pain, or numbness in the limb.

Most people return to desk jobs within two to three days and to normal activity within a week, depending on their health and procedure type.
If you received a stent, you’ll be prescribed blood-thinning medicines like aspirin or clopidogrel—take them exactly as directed to prevent clots in the stent.

Follow-up appointments are essential to monitor recovery and check the treated vessel’s condition with ultrasound or CT if needed.

6. What makes recovery faster than surgery

The key reason vascular IR procedures heal faster is that they avoid large incisions. The body’s natural response to small punctures is much milder—less inflammation, less risk of infection, and faster tissue repair.

Because general anesthesia is rarely required, recovery from sedation is also quick.
There’s usually no need for stitches or wound dressings, and scarring is minimal.
Patients walk within hours instead of days, and the risk of hospital-acquired infections is much lower.

This means less time away from work and a faster return to family, normal diet, and exercise—something patients deeply appreciate.

7. When to call your doctor during recovery

While complications are uncommon, you should contact your doctor immediately if you notice:

• Bleeding that doesn’t stop after gentle pressure.

• Worsening swelling, redness, or discharge at the puncture site.

• Fever, chills, or increasing pain.

• Numbness, coldness, or color change in the arm or leg used for access.

• Chest pain or shortness of breath.

Your doctor may want to check for rare issues like infection, vessel narrowing, or blood clots. It’s always better to report early and be reassured.

8. Long-term care after vascular IR procedures

These treatments fix the immediate blockage or circulation issue, but lasting success depends on keeping your blood vessels healthy.
This means making lifestyle changes such as:

• Quitting smoking (the single biggest risk factor for vascular disease).

• Eating a heart-healthy diet—low in saturated fats, salt, and processed foods.

• Exercising regularly to strengthen circulation.

• Managing diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol through medicine and diet.

Follow-up visits with your interventional radiologist or vascular specialist will track your progress and adjust your care plan as needed.

9. What patients say: the real-world difference

Many patients describe vascular IR procedures as life-changing—not just because they fix a blockage, but because they return people to normal life quickly.
Someone who could barely walk a block because of leg pain may walk freely within days after angioplasty.
Others who feared long hospital stays are often surprised to be home by evening.

This combination of speed, safety, and comfort has made interventional radiology one of the fastest-growing fields in medicine.

Conclusion

If you’ve been advised an angioplasty, stent, or another vascular procedure, ask your doctor: “Will I be able to go home the same day?” Chances are, you can. Thanks to minimally invasive techniques, most patients recover faster, with less pain and fewer complications than traditional surgery.

Prepare well, follow post-procedure instructions carefully, and attend follow-ups to ensure lasting results.

If you or a loved one have persistent leg pain, circulation issues, or arterial disease, speak with your interventional radiologist about modern, same-day treatment options—they can truly change your recovery experience.