Interventional cardiology 696233 223575202 2008-07-04T18:11:46Z 71.185.7.194 /* See also */ [[Category:Cardiology]] [[Category:Interventional cardiology]] '''Interventional cardiology''' is a branch of the [[medicine|medical]] specialty of [[cardiology]] that deals specifically with the catheter based treatment of structural [[heart disease]]s. A large number of procedures can be performed on the [[heart]] by [[coronary catheterization|catheterization]]. This most commonly involves the insertion of a sheath into the [[femoral artery]] (but, in practice, any large peripheral artery or vein) and cannulating the heart under [[X-ray]] visualization (most commonly [[fluoroscopy]], a real-time x-ray). Procedures performed by specialists in interventional cardiology: * [[Angioplasty]] (PTCA, Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty) - for [[coronary artery|coronary]] [[atherosclerosis]] * Valvuloplasty - dilation of narrowed cardiac valves (usually mitral, aortic or pulmonary) * Procedures for congenital heart disease - insertion of occluders for ventricular or atrial septal defects, occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus, angioplasty of great vessels * Emergency angioplasty and stenting of occluded coronary vessels in the setting of acute myocardial infarction * Coronary Thrombectomy - a procedure performed to remove thrombus (blood clot) from blood vessels.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.enh.org/clinicalservices/cardiology/treatment/interventional/procedures/default.aspx?id=3631|title=Evanston Northwestern Hospital Interventional Cardiology|accessdate=2008-03-06}}</ref> Invasive procedures of the heart to treat arrhythmias are performed by specialists in [[clinical cardiac electrophysiology]] Surgery of the heart is done by the specialty of [[cardiothoracic surgery]]. Some interventional cardiology procedures are only performed when there is cardiothoracic surgery expertise in the hospital, in case of complications. ==See also== * [[Interventional radiology]] * [[Catheter]] * [[Cannula]] * [[Stent]] * [[Restenosis]] ==References== {{Reflist|1}} ==External links== * [http://www.angioplasty.org Angioplasty.Org] * [http://www.europcronline.com EuroPCROnline.com] * [http://www.tctmd.com/csportal/appmanager/tctmd/main tctmd.com] {{Template:Interventional Cardiology}}