Diagnosing heart issues through interventional cardiology

Thanks to advances in medical technology over the years and an ongoing commitment to incorporating into their practices minimally invasive methods that reduce the need for open surgery, interventional cardiologists at St. Charles Heart and Lung Center offer patients throughout Central Oregon wide-ranging treatments for a variety of cardiovascular conditions.

Interventional cardiology’s main goal is to reduce or manage coronary artery blockage, prevent heart attacks, repair heart valves and treat vascular problems in areas such as the legs and other locations away from the heart.

Angiograms, angioplasty and more at St. Charles Heart and Lung Center

St. Charles interventional cardiologists perform most of their procedures in a cardiac catheterization lab, where they numb an incision site in the groin or arm with local anesthetic, then thread a catheter to the problem area — most often the heart, its coronary arteries and carotid arteries. Due to the minimally invasive nature of these procedures, doctors keep patients comfortable using mild sedatives rather than general anesthesia. Some of the more common procedures performed at St. Charles are:

  • Angiography — doctors inject dye into an artery to obtain blood vessel images that can help them determine if there may be narrowing, blockage or disease
  • Angioplasty and stenting — inflating a small balloon, then inserting a small flexible stent (usually made of plastic or wire mesh) to hold open blocked or narrowed arteries and restore proper blood flow
  • Atherectomy — a tiny blade attached to the catheter is used to shave plaque from inside the artery
  • Balloon valvuloplasty — as in angioplasty, doctors use a balloon to enlarge a stiff or narrowed heart valve
  • Biopsy — doctors insert a small needle into an abnormal area to collect a heart tissue sample so a pathologist can evaluate it
  • Intravascular ultrasound — uses sound waves to generate images of blood vessels and blood flow
  • Radiofrequency ablation — uses radio waves, which are painless, to destroy clusters of cells that are causing arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm)
  • Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) — a minimally invasive procedure that wedges a replacement valve into the aortic valve’s space without removing the faulty valve

Heart and vascular disease treatment excellence

St. Charles Heart and Lung Center’s interventional cardiologists are proud to be at the forefront in offering minimally invasive cardiovascular treatment options to patients in this region. The benefits of this approach include reduced recovery time and less pain than traditional open surgery procedures.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, contact us at 541-388-4333 today.

From angiograms to TAVR procedures, the St. Charles Heart and Lung Center offers Central Oregon a wide range of interventional cardiology services.