Cardiac
Procedures
The
following procedures are often used in the evaluation
and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Consult
your physician or heart care professional for
more specific information.
- catheter ablation
This procedure uses radio waves or freezing
to silence an abnormal area in the heart's
electrical system, which is usually found during
an electrophysiology study.
- permanent pacemaker
A permanent pacemaker is inserted into the patient's
heart and upper chest to provide a reliable
heartbeat when the heart's own rhythm is
too fast, too slow, or irregular. A permanent
pacemaker is usually inserted while the patient
is in the electrophysiology lab.
- internal cardioverter
defibrillator
A defibrillator is inserted into the patient's
heart and chest to send out a small amount of
electricity when needed to jolt heart rhythm
back to normal.
- coronary angioplasty
With this procedure, a catheter is used to create
a bigger opening in the vessel to increase blood
flow. Although angioplasty is performed in other
blood vessels, Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary
Angioplasty (PTCA) refers to angioplasty in
the coronary arteries to permit more blood flow
into the heart. There are several types of PTCA
procedures, including:
- balloon angioplasty
- a small balloon is inflated inside the
blocked artery to open the blocked area.
- atherectomy -
the blocked area inside the artery is "shaved"
away by a tiny device on the end of a catheter.
- laser angioplasty
- a laser used to "vaporize" the
blockage in the artery.
- coronary artery
stent - a tiny coil is expanded inside the
blocked artery to open the blocked area
and is left in place to keep the artery
open.
- coronary artery bypass
Most commonly referred to as simply "bypass
surgery," this surgery is often performed
in people who have angina (chest pain) and coronary
artery disease (where plaque has built up in
the arteries). During the surgery, a bypass
is created by grafting a piece of a vein above
and below the blocked area of a coronary artery,
enabling blood to flow around the obstruction.
Veins are usually taken from the leg, but arteries
from the chest may also be used to create a
bypass graft.
- heart transplant
A surgical procedure for selected patients whose
hearts are so severely damaged that medications,
procedures, and surgical repair cannot help.
A donated heart is transplanted into the patient
to replace the damaged heart.
- valvuloplasty
A procedure in which a catheter with a large
balloon is used to open a heart valve that has
become narrowed usually as the result of scarring.
The catheter is guided through the aorta to
the valve, and once in place within the leaflets,
the balloon is inflated until the leaflets are
loosened. The balloon is then deflated and withdrawn
from the body.
- valve repair
A surgical procedure in which a damaged valve
is repaired by loosening stiff valve leaflets
or tightening loose valve leaflets.
- valve replacement
In this surgical procedure, a mechanical or
tissue valve is transplanted into the heart
to replace the damaged valve.
Click
here to view the Online
Resources of Cardiovascular Disease
|
