Interventional cardiology

Facing a heart condition can feel overwhelming, but our cardiologists are here to support you. Our heart specialists use advanced treatments with less impact on your body, so you can focus on getting back to living your best life.

Catheter being held by gloved hands

What is 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 the southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey regions, 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.

Clinical trials

Clinical trials offer patients the opportunity to try new and effective treatments and take part in future research.

Second opinions

If you've received a diagnosis, our team of experts offers second opinions to grant you peace of mind.

Benefits of interventional cardiology

Interventional procedures offer multiple benefits, including:

  • Decreased risk of heart attack: Interventional procedures often involve opening blocked arteries, which increases blood flow and reduces the risk of a heart attack.
  • 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.

Leading interventional cardiology care at Penn Medicine

With unmatched experience in interventional cardiology across the greater Philadelphia, Lancaster, and Princeton areas, we offer a variety of advanced treatments. From coronary and peripheral interventions to structural heart disease care, we deliver exceptional results, even for the most challenging cases.

Heart conditions we treat

Interventional cardiology treatments at Penn Medicine

We’re one of the few hospitals to offer all available FDA-approved technologies to remove blood clots or dissolve medicine. We consistently meet and exceed national benchmarks. Our program holds the highest ranking from the Transcatheter Valve Therapy (TVT) Registry. We’re the only medical system in the southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey region with the highest possible TVT rating, reflecting our excellence in procedures like transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Our cardiology specialists work closely with you to determine which treatment will give you the best possible outcome.

Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT)

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.

Diverse team of doctors having a discussion

Our doctors

Our providers work with you to plan and deliver exceptional treatment and personalized care.

Panoramic shot of Penn Medicine's downtown campus

Locations

Our hospitals, multispecialty medical centers, pharmacies, labs and more offer outstanding, personalized care for patients all across the region.

Related articles

Patient stories

A hole in the heart repaired

After a heart attack, Vilma Patel's family brought her from India to Lancaster for lifesaving VSD repair.

A new way to treat Afib: Pulsed field ablation

Rick Smith chose pulsed field ablation for its precision and faster recovery. One month later, he’s back on the road, grateful for the care he received.

Embracing life’s rhythm: Kathleen’s robotic surgery journey

Kathleen Tierney talks about her journey having robotic mitral valve surgery performed at Penn Medicine.

Home-assisted ventilation for autoimmune disease: Kim’s story

A rare autoimmune disease kept Kim Day from his favorite outdoor hobbies, until he met doctors in the Fishman Program for Home Assisted Ventilation.

ECMO saves recovering cancer survivor from lung failure

From cancer survivor to lung failure, Joey Porch’s journey took a miraculous turn with the help of the Penn Lung Rescue team

Heart health keeps this Penn cardiology patient running

An avid runner, once sidelined by heart issues, turned to Penn’s Sports Cardiology and Fitness Program to get him back on the race track.

How pickleball (and Penn Medicine) saved one patient’s life

With teamwork and determination, specialists at Penn Medicine solved Ronnie Recchia’s life-threatening medical mystery and got him back in the game.

Essential tremor patient finds relief

When his essential tremor symptoms became severe, Jim McDevitt turned to Dr. Iahn Cajigas and the team at Penn Medicine for help.

A lifetime of worry eased with one infusion

After receiving gene therapy for hemophilia, a disease Curt Krouse had lived with for 57 years, his “life changed in 30 minutes.”

Bringing the hospital home

With Penn Medicine Advanced Home Health, even patients facing a potentially serious medical issue can receive care safely at home.

Schedule an appointment

We can help you schedule an appointment or you can search our directory of specialists.