People can now get a first-hand look at a patient undergoing a heart procedure at Tauranga Hospital.

A You Tube video published by the Bay of Plenty District Health Board follows heart patient Peter Joyce through his angioplasty procedure performed at Tauranga Hospital.

Angioplasty – or Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) - is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat narrowed coronary arteries of the heart found in heart disease.

The procedure was first introduced to Tauranga Hospital last April.

In the video, PCI Cardiologist Barry Kneale feeds a catheter through Peter's wrist and up through blood vessels so that the arteries supplying the heart can be seen via x-ray guidance.

'The blockage causing problems is crossed with a wire before being treated with a balloon and a stent.

'The patient is given sedation that causes them to stay awake but be relaxed and experience only mild discomfort,” says Tauranga Hospital specialty nurse Jason Money.

Tauranga Hospital reached a milestone on January 31 with the 100th PCI being performed.

Peter says his blocked artery was fixed as he lay there watching it happen on screen.

'I was happy for my PCI to be filmed, as I hope it will help to show others how simple it is and to ease the minds of anyone who might be about to undergo the procedure.”

Patients are referred to a six week cardiac rehabilitation programme offering education, exercise and emotional support after treatment.

Peter says the procedure was a smooth process.

'I literally went in, had the PCI and then had a cup of tea and a biscuit straight afterwards. I was well enough to go home later on that same day.”