Interventional Cardiology is a specialized branch of cardiology focused on the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases using catheter-based techniques. Unlike conventional cardiac surgery, it does not require open-heart surgery. Procedures are performed using minimally invasive intravascular catheters, typically introduced through peripheral arteries such as the radial artery at the wrist or the femoral artery in the groin. This approach significantly reduces procedural risk, shortens hospital stays, and makes treatment possible even for patients who may not be suitable candidates for open-heart surgery.
Core Diagnostic Techniques
Coronary angiography is the gold standard for imaging the coronary arteries. Contrast medium is injected directly into the coronary arteries under X-ray guidance, creating a detailed map of the arterial lumen and any areas of narrowing (stenosis). It is typically the first step in every catheterization procedure and provides the basis for selecting the most appropriate treatment strategy.
Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) complements anatomical imaging with functional assessment by determining whether a coronary stenosis significantly restricts blood flow and causes myocardial ischemia. This technique has improved the selection of lesions requiring intervention while reducing the number of unnecessary procedures.
Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) enable direct visualization of the vessel wall from within the artery. IVUS provides cross-sectional imaging of the entire vessel wall, while OCT offers substantially higher spatial resolution, allowing detailed assessment of plaque morphology and precise optimization of coronary stent deployment immediately after implantation.
Key Procedures
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) is a catheter-based treatment for coronary artery disease. A guidewire is advanced across the stenosis, followed by a balloon catheter that dilates the narrowed segment by compressing the atherosclerotic plaque. In most cases, a coronary stent is then implanted to maintain long-term vessel patency.
Modern Drug-Eluting Stents (DES) are coated with medication that is released locally to inhibit excessive cell proliferation, thereby reducing the risk of restenosis. Today, DES represent the standard of care for the vast majority of coronary interventions.
Primary PCI is the emergency treatment of choice for acute myocardial infarction. Its objective is the rapid reopening of an occluded coronary artery to preserve as much viable heart muscle as possible. For this reason, catheterization laboratories performing primary PCI operate on a 24/7 basis.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) enables replacement of the aortic valve without open-heart surgery or cardiopulmonary bypass. A biological prosthetic valve is delivered via a catheter and deployed directly within the native aortic valve. Initially reserved for high-risk patients, TAVI indications have progressively expanded to include broader patient populations, making it one of the fastest-growing procedures in modern cardiology.
For Interventional Cardiology, we provide:
- Bare-metal coronary stents (BMS)
- Drug-eluting coronary stents (DES)
- PTCA balloon catheters
- Guiding catheters
- Diagnostic catheters
- Products for the management of vascular thromboembolism
For Structural Intervention, we provide:
- PFO occluders
- ASD occluders
- Transcatheter valve system for the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation and venous congestion
