Invasive Cardiology

A CardioMEMS HF System Implantation/Monitoring is a miniature, wireless monitoring sensor that is implanted in the pulmonary artery in a non-surgical procedure. Indicated for wirelessly measuring and monitoring pulmonary artery (PA) pressure and heart rate in heart failure patients who have been hospitalized for heart failure in the previous year.

A Coronary Lithotripsy is when a cardiologist delivers a catheter to the heart by making a small cut (incision) in the patient’s arm or leg. The lithotripsy emitters at the end of the catheter create pressure waves intended to break up the calcification that restricts the blood flow in the vessels of the heart.

Our coronary angiogram, angioplasty, atherectomy, and stenting are procedures that use X-ray imaging to see your heart's blood vessels. The test is generally done to see if there's a restriction in blood flow going to the heart. Coronary angiograms are part of a general group of procedures known as heart (cardiac) catheterizations. Coronary angioplasty is a procedure to widen or open blocked or narrowed coronary arteries. Coronary atherectomy removes obstructions/plaque from the coronary artery with a cutting instrument inserted through a cardiac catheter. Coronary stenting is a procedure to place a stent, mesh tube, inside a coronary artery to keep it open.

A carotid angiogram/angioplasty involves a contrast material (visible on X-rays) injected into an artery to better see and examine the large blood vessels in your neck that carry blood to your brain (carotid arteries). Carotid Angioplasty doctors use a thin tube with a balloon at its tip to open up the artery.

Endovascular grafting is a minimally invasive method to treat an aortic aneurysm. Instead of an open aneurysm repair in which your chest/abdomen is surgically opened. Endovascular surgery is performed inside your aorta using thin, long tubes called catheters to place a stent surrounded by a fabric liner to reinforce the weak spots.

An IVC filter is a small, wiry device. When the filter is placed in your IVC (Inferior Vena Cava), the blood flows past the filter. The filter catches blood clots and stops them from moving to the heart and lungs.

This device reduces stroke risk in people with atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem. It works differently from blood thinners like warfarin. WATCHMAN is a permanent implant closing a part of the heart where blood clots commonly form.

A Loop Recorder is a portable device to record the heart's electrical activity (ECG) to monitor symptoms and record cardiac events implanted in the body underneath the chest skin. The procedure to implant is done in the office or as an outpatient in the hospital. Your cardiologist will have access to ongoing monitoring of your heart’s electrical activity remotely. The device can easily be removed if a diagnosis is achieved or at the end of battery life (average of three years).

Thrombectomy is the mechanical removal of a clot obstructing blood flow, typically by aspiration using negative pressure through a small tube inserted in the blood vessel.

A MitraClip™ is an alternative to open-heart surgery. A MitraClip™ is a minimally invasive mitral valve repair procedure for patients with primary and secondary mitral regurgitation.

A pulmonary embolism or clot extraction is for a vast, life-threatening clot. Doctors may suggest removing it via a thin, flexible tube (catheter) threaded through a patient’s blood vessel.

A pacemaker is a small device used to treat some arrhythmias. During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm. Pacemakers send electrical pulses to help your heart beat at a regular rate and rhythm. An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is a small battery-powered device placed in the chest to detect and stop irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias). The ICD quickly sends an electrical shock to the heart. The shock changes the rhythm back to normal.

A pacemaker/ICD generator change or battery replacement is necessary because the pacing device is at the end of its service life. The remaining lifespan of a pacemaker/ICD is determined during visits to the Pacemaker/ICD Clinic. The battery in a pacemaker does not stop suddenly but instead loses its charge slowly, which lets the cardiologist plan the replacement date. This procedure takes less than one hour.

A Peripheral Angiogram is a test that uses X-rays and contrast dye to help your doctor find narrowed or blocked areas in one or more of the arteries that supply blood to your legs, feet, or in some cases, your arms and hands. Peripheral angioplasty is a procedure to open blocked or narrowed arteries in your legs.

The procedure can help reduce symptoms of poor blood flow, such as pain, numbness, and wounds that will not heal. The procedure may also prevent the need for amputation of your leg or foot. An atherectomy is used to remove plaque from inside the arterial vessels. Peripheral stents are small tubular metal scaffolds used to treat narrowing or blockages in arteries or veins, resulting in increased blood flow.

Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) is a technology derived from renal lithotripsy, in which multiple emitters mounted on a traditional balloon catheter provide circumferential pulsatile energy to disrupt calcified plaque in peripheral arteries.

A TAVR is a breakthrough treatment for severe aortic stenosis. It is now considered the standard of care for aortic valve replacement in patients who are too high risk for open-heart surgery.

Valvuloplasty is a cardiac intervention to open up stenotic or stiffed heart valves (e.g., aortic or mitral) using a catheter with a balloon on the tip. It is also known as balloon valvotomy. It is a less invasive procedure because it is done by inserting a catheter into the blood vessel from the groin percutaneously rather than valve replacement with cardiothoracic surgical or other open methods.

A venogram, also known as venography, is an x-ray exam performed to examine the health of the veins, typically in your legs. During a venogram, your doctor will inject a contrast dye into the vessels to examine how blood is flowing through your veins. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a valuable tool for assessing the condition of internal structures: Assessing the narrowing of veins.

Venous Angioplasty and angioplasty with stenting are minimally invasive procedures performed to improve blood flow in narrowed or blocked vein