Interventional Cardiology
In some cases, heart disease can be treated using minimally invasive interventional cardiology techniques that use a catheter (thin, flexible tube) inserted into the arteries. The catheter is guided to the heart to open blocked arteries and improve blood flow. These advanced techniques are performed on an outpatient basis by the cardiology care team and offer a non-surgical alternative to treat many cardiovascular conditions.
Board-certified interventional cardiologists at Merit Health use a variety of catheter-assisted techniques to treat heart disease, including:
- Diagnostic cardiac catheterization - This interventional cardiology procedure examines the heart with real-time images (fluoroscopy), and measures blood pressure, blood flow, oxygen levels, and is used to collect biopsies and blood samples.
- Angioplasty - A tiny balloon on the end of a catheter is inflated to push plaque against the wall of the artery to improve blood flow. A laser can also be used to break up the plaque.
- Stent placement - A stent, which is a small mesh tube, is placed in an artery to hold it open and improve blood flow.
- Coronary atherectomy - A catheter fitted with a tiny rotating shaver removes hardened plaque to open a blocked artery.
- Intra-aortic balloon pump - A mechanical device increases myocardial oxygen perfusion and indirectly increases cardiac output through afterload reduction.
- Left ventricular assisted device (LVAD) - A mechanical pump is implanted in patients with heart failure. It helps the bottom left chamber of the heart (left ventricle) pump blood out of the ventricle to the aorta and the rest of the body.
When open-heart surgery offers the best treatment solution, board-certified cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons perform advanced cardiology procedures such as coronary artery bypass surgery, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), congenital heart disease repair and valve repair and replacement.