Traditionally, a number of advanced cardiology procedures have required open-heart surgery. However, thanks to technological advances, an increasing number of these procedures can be accomplished with a catheter, which is a small, flexible tube. This interventional approach is safer and less invasive, making recovery quicker and easier.
That’s where our expertise comes in. McKenzie Heart Group cardiologists are experts in the following interventional procedures:
Coronary Artery Stenting
If you have a blocked coronary artery, we can often treat it with a stent — a small, metal mesh coil that expands inside the artery to keep it open. Your cardiologist will use a catheter to guide the stent into the proper location. Stents can reduce chest pain and improve your odds of surviving a heart attack.
PFO and ASD Closure
This procedure is a way to close an opening in the wall between the upper chambers of the heart. Birth defects like this include a patent foramen ovale (PFO) or an atrial septal defect (ASD), and patients may not be aware of them until adulthood. Fixing this problem can make your heart work better, help you breathe easier and may possibly reduce your risk for recurrent stroke.
Acute Heart Attack Treatment
When blood flow to the heart is blocked — typically by a buildup of fat and cholesterol in the arteries — it’s known as a heart attack. Heart attacks can be fatal, but swift treatment to open arteries can mean the difference between life and death, and can also preserve valuable heart muscle.
Treatment of Chronic Total Occlusion
Chronic total occlusion occurs when one of the arteries that bring oxygen-rich blood to your heart becomes blocked for at least three months. Roughly 1 out of 5 patients with coronary artery disease will have a chronic total occlusion, which can cause chest pain, fatigue and shortness of breath. To treat chronic total occlusion, your cardiologist uses a catheter to clear the blocked artery.
Left Main Coronary Artery Stenting
Your left main coronary artery delivers oxygen-rich blood to your heart. If it becomes blocked, your cardiologist can open the left main coronary artery back up again by placing a metal stent that’s coated with a time-release medication to help prevent future blockages.