Invasive cardiology involves tests to identify and treat both structural and electrical problems within the structure of the heart. Commonly, this means the patient needs open or minimally invasive heart surgery.
Some of the invasive procedures we perform include:
- Interventional cardiac services: Treatments include the use of catheters threaded through veins to repair heart damage through procedures such as angioplasty and stenting.
- Interventional peripheral services: This outpatient procedure is used to treat peripheral artery disease (PAD) by restoring blood flow to your legs that can eliminate pain, numbness, or the need for eventual amputation. Angioplasty or stents may be involved to dilate the blocked artery.
- Diagnostic coronary angiogram: Also called an “angio,” this special X-ray of the heart’s arteries and surrounding blood vessels is used to detect narrowed or blocked arteries. It involves the insertion of a long, thin flexible catheter into an artery in the groin.
- Diagnostic peripheral angiogram: This test finds and diagnoses problems in your body’s blood vessels outside of the heart in a procedure that takes about 1 to 2 hours. This helps your cardiologist assess for any blockages or blood vessel constriction.
- Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE): This ultrasound heart examination is positioned at the end of an endoscope – a long, thin, flexible instrument that is guided down the esophagus (the food pipe). The esophagus lies immediately behind the heart, so the TEE test provides high-quality visualization of the heart valves without interference to the ribs or lungs. You will be sedated during this 30 to 60-minute procedure.