Used to determine the existence of disease or complications of the heart and vascular system and the need to treat them.

Cardiac Catheterization
Detects functional problems with the heart and detects vascular disease. It measures pressures and blood flow, collects blood samples from the heart and determines the need for further interventions.

A long thin catheter is threaded into the heart through either a femoral (groin) or brachial (arm) artery. Radio-opaque dye is injected into the heart or blood vessel under fluoroscopy - a real-time x-ray image of the procedure that allows the physician to visualize problem areas, some of which can be treated during the catheterization.

Your physician may perform a right heart, left heart, or both a right and left heart catheterization.

During a right heart catheterization, the catheter is passed into the right side of the heart to obtain information about its function, various pressures within the heart, the valves of the heart, and circulatory problems.

A left heart catheterization measures how well the left heart is functioning and detects blockages in the arteries that supply the heart.

Peripheral Catheterization
This procedure detects blockages in arteries other than those found in the heart, such as the kidneys, limbs, abdomen, and carotids. The procedure is similar to a cardiac catheterization except that the catheter is placed into a peripheral artery to view blood flow and determine the need for interventions.

Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS)
A catheter-based procedure used to visualize the interior walls of blood vessels. A tiny ultrasound camera mounted on the end of the catheter is threaded into the suspect vessel.

Sound waves from the camera form real-time images that enable the physician to visualize the amount and distribution of disease present within the arterial walls and determine the need for further interventions.

Procedures performed by your physician to correct the problems in your heart and vascular system.

Balloon Angioplasty
A catheter-based procedure used to open blocked or narrowed arteries in the heart or periphery (outside the heart). A balloon catheter is inserted through the groin or arm and passed into the narrowed artery.

Once placed, the balloon is expanded to compress the fatty deposits (plaque) against the artery's wall. The balloon is then removed, leaving improved blood flow through the artery, preventing the need for heart surgery.

Stent Placement
A catheter-based procedure that keeps a narrowed or blocked cardiac, carotid, or peripheral artery open, using a short, wire-mesh tube called a stent.

The stent is mounted on a balloon catheter and positioned in the artery inside the narrowing. When the balloon is inflated, the stent expands and the plaque becomes compressed against the wall of the narrowed artery. The balloon catheter is deflated and removed while the stent remains in the artery to maintain blood flow. This usually prevents the need for heart surgery.

Atherectomy
A catheter-based procedure used to gently cut away at vessel-narrowing plaque in peripheral arteries with a special blade or abrasive material on the end of the catheter. This is especially useful in a rigid vessel that may more readily become narrowed again.

The plaque fragments are captured and removed from the body. A stent is often placed in the vessel afterwards to maintain adequate blood flow.

Cryoplasty
A special type of balloon angioplasty used to open blocked arteries except for those in the heart. After the balloon is expanded to dilate the vessel, the specialized balloon uses extreme cold to destroy plaque. The cold reduces the tendency for the artery wall to re-narrow from the normal inflammatory response to cell trauma.

Intra-aortic Balloon Pump (IABP)
A device used to assist the compromised heart's workload and increase its blood flow temporarily. The pump may be used to rest the heart until open heart surgery can be performed.

Pacemaker
A pacemaker is an electronic device implanted under the skin of the chest wall that helps regulate the heart beat when the heart's ability to beat effectively is impaired.

A pacemaker consists of 2 parts: a generator (battery) and 1 or more electrodes (wires). The electrodes carry electrical impulses from the generator to the heart muscle causing the heart to beat regularly.
A pacemaker is usually inserted when the heart beats too slow to maintain adequate blood flow to the heart and body. When it senses that the heart rate is too slow, the pacemaker delivers an electrical stimulus to the heart muscle to maintain a healthy rate. The pacemaker may be single or dual chamber, referring to whether it stimulates the atrium or ventricle or both.

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD)
A device implanted under the skin of the chest wall to monitor the heart's rhythm and rate. If the rate is too rapid, or it senses a dangerous rhythm, the ICD delivers an electrical stimulus that interrupts the fast rate so the rate can be reset to a slower, healthier rate. ICD's can also be programmed to pace the heart like a pacemaker.

Fistulogram
A diagnostic procedure used to check the blood flow through both the venous and arterial limbs of a dialysis fistula in the arm.

A fistulogram is a catheter-based procedure that involves injecting dye into the affected area and viewing it under a "real-time" x-ray called fluoroscopy. Repair of the fistula can be done using balloon angioplasty or stent placement.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Stent-Graft.
An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a bulging of the abdominal aorta due to a weakness in the vessel wall, creating the potential for it to rupture.

The AAA stent-graft is a catheter-based procedure. A graft is affixed to a stent and inserted by fluoroscopy into the damaged area, forming a new, artificial vessel through which blood can flow.

Tilt Table Test
A diagnostic test used to determine the cause of a syncopal, or fainting, episode. The patient is secured to a pivoting table that moves slowly upright, stimulating a neurocardiogenic reaction that can cause a susceptible patient to faint. The patient's heart rate and blood pressure are monitored throughout the study. If the test is positive, medications can be prescribed to control the fainting.

Cardioversion
When medications are unsuccessful in converting an abnormally rapid heart rhythm to a normal one, an electrical shock may need to be medically delivered to the patient's chest. The patient is mildly sedated during the procedure.

Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE)
A diagnostic cardiac procedure where physicians obtain ultrasound images of the heart from a probe positioned in the esophagus behind the heart. These reflected sound waves are processed by a special computer that displays and image of the heart on a video monitor.

A TEE provides very high quality images of the heart because there is no lung or rib interference, the highly detailed images produced have great diagnostic value.