Interventional cardiology is a new area that has changed the way heart diseases are treated by Denver cardiologists by using techniques that are less invasive. With these treatments, a lot of different heart problems can be fixed without having to have more invasive surgery. As heart disease remains one of the main causes of death in the world, the ability to treat cardiovascular problems without surgery has given people safer and more effective ways to take care of their heart health.
In interventional cardiology, small, flexible tubes called catheters are used to guide doctors through the heart and blood vessels to find and treat different heart problems. In contrast to open-heart surgery, which needs big cuts and a long recovery period, interventional treatments can be done by making small holes in the skin, usually in the wrist or groin. It lowers the stress, lowers the risk of problems, and speeds up the healing process to use this method.
Non-Surgical Treatments in Interventional Cardiology
Interventional cardiology covers a broad range of procedures that target different aspects of heart disease. Some of the most commonly performed non-surgical treatments include:
- Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), which is another name for coronary angioplasty, is one of the most well-known procedures in the field of interventional cardiology. Heart disease (CAD) is most often treated with this treatment. CAD is a condition in which plaque builds up in the blood vessels that feed the heart and makes them narrow or block. A tube with a balloon is put through the arteries and inflated at the blockage site to fix it. An artery is often kept open with a stent, a small metal tube. This keeps the artery from getting blocked again. With PCI, you can get better faster than with bypass surgery, and it helps with chest pain and shortness of breath.
- Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) can save the lives of people with severe aortic stenosis, a disease in which the aortic valve in the heart gets narrowed and blocked. To repair the damaged aortic valve, a new one is put in through a catheter, usually through the femoral artery. This is a non-surgical treatment. TAVR is especially helpful for older patients or people who can’t have regular open-heart surgery because of other health problems. This technique has changed the way aortic stenosis is treated by keeping patients from having to go through the risks of open surgery.
- Balloon Valvuloplasty
Balloon valvuloplasty is another interventional procedure that targets heart valve issues, particularly when the valve becomes narrowed, limiting the flow of blood. In this procedure, a balloon catheter is used to inflate the valve gently, widening it and restoring normal blood flow. Balloon valvuloplasty is often used for patients with mitral or pulmonary valve stenosis, and it is typically considered a less invasive first step before more complex valve surgeries are needed.
- Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) Intervention
Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) happens when a coronary artery is totally blocked for a long time. This usually happens because of plaque buildup. It’s hard to treat these blockages, but interventional cardiologists have come up with new ways to open up these blocked airways. Cardiologists can use cutting-edge tools like lasers or rotational atherectomy through special tubes to get rid of or get around the blockages. If blood flow is restored to these arteries, it can greatly reduce symptoms like angina and make life better for people who have been dealing with this disease.
- Coronary Atherectomy
Coronary atherectomy may be used when angioplasty alone is not enough to clear up blockages in the coronary vessels. During this process, cutting tools or lasers on special catheters are used to remove plaque from the arteries. Atherectomy is often used in combination with balloon angioplasty to enhance the chances of successful treatment, especially when the plaque is calcified or hardened.
Benefits of Interventional Cardiology
The most significant advantage of interventional cardiology lies in its ability to treat complex heart conditions with minimal disruption to the body.
- Reduced Risk of Infection: Because interventional cardiology treatments only make small cuts, the chance of getting an infection is much lower than with traditional surgeries, which need bigger cuts.
- Faster Recovery: Most people who have interventional procedures can go back to their normal lives in just a few days, while most people who have traditional surgery need weeks or months to heal.
- Shorter Hospital Stays: Since many interventional cardiology procedures are performed as outpatient treatments, patients often only need to stay in the hospital for a short period, leading to reduced healthcare costs and quicker recovery.
- Safer for High-Risk Patients: For elderly individuals or those with other chronic conditions, interventional procedures provide a safer option than open-heart surgery, reducing the risks associated with anesthesia and prolonged recovery times.
Consulting with Expert Cardiologists
If you are thinking about interventional cardiology as a treatment choice, you should talk to specialists who are up-to-date on the latest methods. To give you an example, cardiologists in Denver know a lot about these advanced procedures and can help patients find the best treatment for their situation. These experts use cutting-edge technology and minimally invasive methods to make sure that patients have the best results possible.
Conclusion
Heart treatments that don’t involve surgery are changing how heart illnesses are treated. With interventional cardiology, patients can now get very effective procedures that are only slightly invasive. This means they don’t have to go through the risks and long recovery times that come with standard heart surgery. People who have heart disease can still have hope because the field is always changing, and there may be more progress in treating heart disease.
