THERAPIES & PROCEDURES
Interventional cardiology
Interventional cardiology is a branch of cardiology that deals specifically with the catheter treatment of structural heart disease. The main advantages of using the interventional cardiology or radiology approach are the avoidance of scarring and pain, and a prolonged postoperative recovery.
Additionally, the primary angioplasty interventional cardiology procedure is now the gold standard of care for acute myocardial infarction. It involves the removal of clots from the occluded coronary arteries and the deployment of stents and balloons through a small hole made in a main artery, which has given it the name of “pinhole surgery” (as opposed to “surgery keyhole “).
Interventional Radiology / Peripheral Vascular
Interventional radiology is a medical subspecialty of radiology that uses minimally invasive image-guided procedures to diagnose and treat disease in almost all organ systems. The concept behind interventional radiology is to diagnose and treat patients using the least invasive techniques currently available to minimize risk to the patient and improve health outcomes.
As the inventors of angioplasty and the catheter-placed stent, interventional radiologists pioneered modern minimally invasive medicine. Using X-rays, CT, ultrasound, MRI, and other imaging modalities, interventional radiologists obtain images that are then used to direct interventional instruments throughout the body. These procedures are usually done using needles and narrow tubes called catheters, rather than making large incisions in the body as in traditional surgery.
Non-Vascular Interventional
Nonvascular interventions are minimally invasive interventional radiology procedures that do not involve blood vessels. The doctor uses imaging technology to guide instruments into the body without open surgery.
Interventional radiologists often use ultrasound and CT scans to guide the placement of the catheter (tube) to drain abscesses and other fluid collections. Imaging technology is also used for biopsies of deep tumors in the chest, abdomen and pelvis.