Interventional Cardiology

An imaging study of the heart arteries, performed under x-ray visualization, that allows your physician to identify arterial narrowing or blockage caused by cholesterol buildup. The results of the catheterization will help your doctor plan the next step in your treatment, including angioplasty, coronary bypass graft surgery, or medical therapy.

Also known as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), this procedure improves blood flow to your heart by opening arteries that are narrowed or blocked by the plaque. PCI is performed during cardiac catheterization. To open a blocked artery, your doctor will insert a catheter over a guidewire and inflate a balloon at the tip of that catheter. He may place a small mesh tube called a stent in your artery to help keep the it open.

In a process similar to cardiac catheterizations, these dye studies outline other arteries in the body, usually those that supply the blood to the head and neck or the abdomen and legs. Because arteries cannot be seen on ordinary x-rays, doctors inject a contrast material into the artery; this makes the blood flow visible on radiographs and helps identify narrowing or blockages that may be present.

A stent is a small mesh tube used to treat narrow, blocked, or weak arteries. A stent is placed in an artery as part of a procedure called coronary angioplasty  or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to restore blood flow and support the inner wall of the artery. Doctors also place stents in weak arteries to improve blood flow and help prevent the arteries from bursting.

Types of stents

Most stents are made of metal mesh, but fabric stents, also called stent grafts, can be used in larger arteries. Some stents are coated with medicine that is slowly and continuously released into the artery; these are called drug-eluting stents. The medicine helps prevent the artery from becoming blocked again.

This internal ultrasound, performed in a hospital while you are sedated, allows the doctor to evaluate your heart muscle function, assess the severity of certain valve problems, and detect other potential problems. During the procedure, the doctor carefully places an ultrasound probe in the esophagus. By moving the probe within the esophagus and into the stomach, the doctor can capture images that may disclose congenital heart problems, aortic disease, or blood clots in your heart.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive heart valve procedure used to treat severe aortic stenosis, a condition where the aortic valve becomes narrowed and restricts blood flow from the heart. During a TAVR procedure, cardiologists replace the diseased valve using a catheter-based approach, typically inserted through the femoral artery, avoiding the need for traditional open-heart surgery.

TAVR can significantly improve symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue, and dizziness in patients with advanced aortic valve disease. Many patients experience shorter hospital stays and faster recovery times compared to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Candidates for transcatheter aortic valve replacement are carefully evaluated through advanced cardiac imaging and multidisciplinary heart team assessment.

Candidates for the TAVR procedure typically include patients with severe aortic stenosis who may be at high or intermediate risk for open-heart surgery. Using advanced cardiac imaging and heart team evaluation, cardiologists determine whether transcatheter aortic valve replacement is the best treatment option.

Renal denervation for hypertension is a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure designed to help treat resistant hypertension, a form of high blood pressure that remains uncontrolled despite multiple medications. The renal denervation procedure (RDN) works by targeting overactive sympathetic nerves surrounding the renal arteries that contribute to persistently elevated blood pressure.

Using specialized catheter technology, physicians deliver controlled energy to the renal artery walls to disrupt these nerve signals and help lower blood pressure. Renal denervation may be considered for patients with difficult-to-control hypertension who continue to have elevated readings despite lifestyle changes and medication therapy. Clinical studies have shown that renal denervation can provide sustained blood pressure reduction and may help improve long-term cardiovascular risk management.

Renal denervation is an emerging treatment option for patients with resistant hypertension. The procedure is performed using a catheter inserted through the femoral artery, allowing physicians to access the renal arteries and deliver controlled energy to reduce nerve activity that contributes to elevated blood pressure.