Interventional Cardiology

The Einstein Institute of Heart & Vascular Health is one of busiest interventional cardiology programs in Philadelphia and Montgomery County. Our interventional cardiologists perform thousands of cardiac catheterizations each year and employ the latest interventional techniques.

WHAT IS CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION?

Cardiac catheterization (also called cardiac "cath" or coronary angiography) is an invasive imaging procedure that allows your doctor to "see" and measure the function of the heart and vessels. During the procedure, your doctor inserts a thin plastic catheter into an artery in the leg or arm. Once the catheter is inserted, special digital X-ray equipment allows doctors to guide it through the heart's arteries to pinpoint blockages. Diagnostic techniques assess the blockages and your heart's condition before a course of treatment is developed.

CATHETERIZATION: DIAGNOSTIC TOOL AND LIFE-SAVING THERAPY

Most times, a treatment simply can be performed as an augmentation of the catheterization procedure, such as balloon angioplasty and a stent placement procedure. By employing a procedure so quickly, doctors shorten the critical period between diagnosis and treatment, which helps save important muscle tissue and, most of all, the lives of patients.

"THEY GAVE ME MY LIFE BACK"

Quick work by the interventional cardiology team at Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia saved Peter's life.

COMMON HEART CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CATHETERIZATION

• coronary artery disease
• arterial or vascular disease
• congenital heart disease
• valvular heart disease
• structural heart disease

EINSTEIN'S LEADING CATHETERIZATION TREATMENT PROCEDURES INCLUDE

• balloon angioplasty
• carotid stents and stroke intervention
• congenital heart defect corrections
• intracoronary stenting
• intravascular ultrasound
• peripheral arterial disease (PAD) intervention