Cardiac Services

Interventional Cardiology

Catheterization Laboratory

The Miriam’s cardiac catheterization program is one of the top 100 interventional programs in the country and performs all major interventional cardiac procedures. In 2005, the program performed more than 5,000 procedures.

Cardiac catheterization is a minimally invasive procedure used to evaluate the coronary circulation, the heart valves and the different chambers of the heart. A catheter is a long, narrow plastic tube that can be inserted into an artery or vein in the arm or leg. From there it can be advanced into the chambers of the heart or into the coronary arteries where a dye is injected to image the areas for diagnostic purposes. This procedure can determine if there is blockage in the coronary arteries and provide information about the heart valves and the pumping ability of the heart.

Cardiac catheterization is also used for interventional purposes. Interventional cardiology procedures include:

Angioplasty and stenting of coronary artery blockages
The closure of congenital heart defects, including atrial septal defects
and patent foramen ovale that may cause stroke
Balloon valvuloplasty to treat stenotic heart valves

In addition, newer vascular procedures are being performed in the cardiac catheterization laboratory, including stenting of major peripheral arteries in the arms, legs, kidneys, abdominal aorta and carotid arteries. Carotid artery stenting is an exciting new non-surgical alternative to the more traditional surgical endarterectomy procedures and is being offered to selected patients with severe carotid artery stenoses as part of a multi-disciplinary program involving vascular surgery and vascular interventional radiology.

The catheterization laboratory actively participates in cutting-edge research, including the investigation of new stent designs, adjunctive pharmacologic therapies for heart attacks and acute coronary syndromes, and as part of a national trial of new therapies for improving the treatment of the most serious consequence of a heart attack, cardiogenic shock.

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