Interventional Cardiac Procedures

Posted on: 17 December 2019

If you are having problems with your heart, your doctor may suggest diagnostic tests, such as electrocardiograms, x-rays, and MRIs to diagnose your condition. If you are diagnosed with heart disease, your physicians may suggest interventional treatments. These procedures are usually minimally invasive and do not involve lengthy recovery periods. 

Here are some of the interventional procedures that your cardiologist may suggest.

Atherectomy

During this procedure, the cardiologist helps clear plaque from your arterial walls using a special shaver that is attached to a catheter. In some instances, a catheter that includes a laser may be used to burn away arterial plaque.

Protection from Embolisms

If the physician is treating a vessel that has become too narrow, such as a carotid artery, they may use special filters that stop bits of plaque from dislodging and moving through your body in the bloodstream. Without the filters, a blood clot could result.

Stenting 

With stenting, a long, thin tube is inserted into a blood vessel in your leg or wrist. The doctor then guides the tube to the designated area of your body using injected dye as a guide. The stent helps your blood vessel remain open.

Valve Repair

When the valves of your heart malfunction, problems transpire with the way that the blood flows throughout the chambers of your heart. Doctors can repair damaged valves using catheters that guide repair instruments, such as clips, to the valve to repair it. Once the valve is repaired, the proper flow of blood can be restored.

Angioplasty

Stenting is often combined with angioplasty. During an angioplasty procedure, a balloon is added to the tip of a catheter. The doctor guides the ballooned catheter to a designated artery and inflates the balloon to open the vessel. They may then add a stent to the vessel to prevent it from closing.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

The doctor may perform a valve replacement when a valve in your heart is not working as it should. The procedure, unlike open-heart surgery, is only minimally invasive and does not involve the same degree of patient risk. 

With TAVR, a valve is placed in a stent, and the stent is transported via a catheter to the area where the natural valve is no longer working properly. The stent is expanded into position and the new valve starts to function in the old valve's place.

To learn more about minimally invasive cardiac procedures, visit a cardiac care center in your local area. 

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