Equipment used in balloon angioplasty, a technique used to unblock & widen arteries that have become obstructed by formation of fatty plaques, clots & scar tissue (atheroma). Both devices, known as balloon inflators are seen expanded; they are introduced in their deflated states into the artery & guided into position using angiography (ie an x-ray image of an artery which has been enhanced by prior injection of a radio-opaque contrast medium). When in position the balloons are inflated, providing a wider channel for blood to flow in. The smaller, spherical balloon (Fogarty embolic catheter) is used to remove emboli (clots) from affected arteries.