Interventional cardiology

Interventional cardiology is a specialized branch of heart and vascular care that focuses on using minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat heart and blood vessel conditions. Instead of traditional open-heart surgery, interventional cardiologists use thin, flexible tubes called catheters to access the heart and arteries through small incisions. These procedures, known as catheterizations, can help open blocked arteries, repair heart valves, and treat other cardiovascular issues with less recovery time and lower risk compared to more invasive surgeries.

At Penn Medicine, our interventional cardiologists offer the most advanced treatments for heart and blood vessel issues. As the most experienced interventional cardiology team in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, we specialize in innovative care that delivers exceptional results, even for complex cases. We regularly see patients who may not be candidates for traditional surgery. Our interventional cardiologists offer advanced solutions, giving high-risk patients new options and hope.

Interventional procedures offer multiple benefits, including:

• Treatment for heart attacks and improving symptoms of angina: Interventional procedures often involve opening blocked arteries, which increases blood flow and can stop an ongoing heart attack or improve more chronic symptoms related to blockages.
• Faster recovery: Not only do interventional cardiology procedures take less time than open surgery, but they also offer shorter recoveries. People typically return home the next day or even the same day as their procedure.
• Lower risk of complications: Because of their less invasive approach, catheter-based procedures are ideal for higher-risk patients, such as elderly people and those with multiple health conditions.
• Minimal pain and scarring: The small incision used during interventional cardiology procedures is barely detectable after healing. People experience far less pain during recovery than they do after open-heart surgeries.

A pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs when a blood clot travels to the pulmonary arteries, blocking the blood supply to the lungs. PE is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention.

At Penn Medicine, our Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) provides rapid care for emergency PE cases and offers long-term follow-up once you leave the hospital. We collaborate regularly to create customized treatment plans for patients with severe PE, ensuring effective and tailored care.

We rank among the country’s top 10 most advanced centers for PE treatment and we’re one of only about 20 chronic PE response teams nationwide. As one of the first functioning PERTs, we helped establish the standards of care now used across the United States. Additionally, we played a key role in developing the International PERT Consortium, a global initiative focused on improving PE evaluation and treatment.