INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY SERVICES

Interventional cardiology involves the use of thin, flexible tubes called catheters to diagnose and treat narrowed or blocked blood vessels and faulty heart valves. This approach allows doctors to work through tiny incisions, reducing hospitalization, pain and recovery time for patients. 

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Cardiac Catheterization lab

Procedures are performed in our state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization laboratory, which provides the most advanced tests and treatments available today. Within the lab, two invasive procedure rooms with the latest digital imaging equipment are dedicated to interventional procedures, including:

• Angiography
• Angioplasty
• Cardiac catheterization
• Stent placement
• Atherectomy
• Valvuloplasty
• Closures of atrial septal defects (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO)
• Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)
• Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) studies

Cardiac catheterization and angiography
 
Guided by real-time X-rays, our interventional cardiologists guide a catheter through a blood vessel in the groin to the site of the suspected obstruction in the heart. This allows them to assess the extent and severity of coronary artery blockages without major surgery. If dye is injected into the coronary arteries, the procedure is called coronary angiography.

Angioplasty

A balloon-tipped catheter is introduced into an artery in the groin and carefully directed to the site of the obstruction. The balloon is inflated, clearing the clogged blood vessel. This procedure can be performed in conjunction with angiography, if needed.

Stent placement

About 70 percent of coronary angioplasty procedures involve the placement of stents. These miniature metal cages are sometimes drug-coated to prevent arteries from renarrowing. They’re placed over the balloon catheter and positioned in the artery when the balloon expands. The stent holds the blood vessel open. Our cardiologists employ coronary, carotid and renal stents as needed. Current research at UC Medical Center includes studies to determine the relationship between restenosis (the renarrowing or
re-blocking of an artery that was previously opened) and stent types and techniques. 

Atherectomy

We offer a full range of treatments for eliminating plaque (a buildup of cholesterol, calcium and other substances) inside arteries. One procedure called atherectomy involves the use of a catheter equipped with a tiny rotating blade to remove hardened plaque from artery walls. Other catheter-based devices may also be used to shave off the plaque or vaporize it with lasers.

Valvuloplasty

When heart valves become stiff and narrow (stenotic), they interfere with blood flow. Valvuloplasty is a nonsurgical procedure used to correct stenotic heart valves.  A balloon-tipped catheter is guided through a blood vessel in the groin into the heart. Here, the balloon is inflated and deflated to widen the valve opening. Our interventional cardiologists perform this procedure on pulmonic, tricuspid, mitral and aortic valves.

Closure of atrial septal defects (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO)

PFOs and ASDs are holes in the heart that occur when the opening between the right and left atria doesn’t close after birth. Using a catheter, our cardiologists access the heart and implant a miniature device that closes the opening. Eventually, normal tissue grows over the device, incorporating it permanently and safely into the heart wall.

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)

This test is performed from the inside of blood vessels. A catheter equipped with a miniature sound probe produces high-frequency sound waves to examine the interior walls of the arteries. Our interventional cardiologists are experts in the analysis of intravascular ultrasound studies.

Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) studies

FFR studies help pinpoint the location and extent of narrowed or blocked arteries in complex cases involving several diseased blood vessels. FFR is especially helpful when angiography alone is not sensitive enough to obtain this information.