Interventional Cardiology

This cardiac subspecialty uses minimally invasive, catheter-based technologies in a cath lab to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease (CAD). The main focus in on percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) to revascularize patients with CAD that is causing blockages resulting in ischemia or myocardial infarction. PCI mainly consists of angioplasty and implanting stents. Interventional cardiology has greatly expanded in scope over recent years to include a number of transcatheter structural heart interventions.

From left to right: Sunita Ferns, MD; Mark Plunkett, MD; Harma Turbendian, MD. Images courtesy of OSF Healthcare.

History made: Young child treated with new heart device for very first time

A care team in Illinois has performed the first heart procedure of its kind on a two-year-old patient diagnosed with Brugada syndrome. 

Thumbnail

‘A victory for TAVR’: How treatment impacts elderly patients in their last year of life

New research out of Denmark explored how undergoing TAVR may or may not influence the final year of a patient's life.

Top videos on the Cardiovascular Business website about new cardiovascular trends and technologies in 2024.

Top cardiology video interviews in 2024

A list of the most popular video interviews on Cardiovascular Business in 2024 based on reader analytics.

Edwards Evoque transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement TTVR

CMS proposes Medicare coverage for transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement

Edwards Lifesciences sent a formal request to CMS in February after its Evoque TTVR device gained FDA approval. The agency is now accepting public comments for 30 days.

Sahajanand Medical Technologies (SMT) Hydra TAVR

Hydra TAVR valve gains key approval as global reach continues to grow

The self-expanding device is now available in more than 20 countries and received CE mark approval back in 2020. However, it has not yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States.

Heart cardiologists doctors surgery

SAVR outperforms TAVR in patients with bicuspid aortic valves

BAV patients are often excluded from TAVR trials, creating uncertainty about the best way to treat that population when aortic valve replacement is required. To learn more, researchers tracked CMS data from 2018 to 2022, presenting their findings in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

Philips Healthcare's combined IVL and laser atherectomy catheter that is being used in the THOR trial to treat heavily calcified peripheral artery lesions.

Intravascular lithotripsy technology now a top priority for many healthcare companies

After the significant success of Shockwave Medical's IVL therapy to break up heavily calcified vessels without trauma, there are now several companies working on their own IVL devices. 

Society Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) President James Hermiller, MD, discusses achievements of SCAI in 2024. #SCAI

SCAI president reviews achievements in interventional cardiology in 2024

SCAI President James Hermiller, MD, recently outlined the key achievements for 2024, including creation of the first interventional cardiology match program, successful advocacy and efforts to increase women in the field.

Around the web

Several key trends were evident at the Radiological Society of North America 2024 meeting, including new CT and MR technology and evolving adoption of artificial intelligence.

Ron Blankstein, MD, professor of radiology, Harvard Medical School, explains the use of artificial intelligence to detect heart disease in non-cardiac CT exams.