15^th Global Cardiology Summit

Interventional Cardiology and Heart Surgery

Interventional cardiology involves the correction of harmed or debilated vessels, narrowed arteries or other affected parts of the heart structure. It is a non-surgical procedure which uses a small flexible tube called catheter for treatment. The heart can be subjected to many procedures by catheterization. It commonly involves the insertion of catheter into the heart chamber/coronary arteries/valves of cardiac system and cannulating the heart under X-ray visualization or most commonly fluoroscopy. The adaptation of this type of treatment avoids the scars and pain and long post-operative recovery. The procedures involved in interventional cardiology result in substantial patient radiation doses due to prolonged fluoroscopy time and radiographic exposure.

Cardiac surgery or heart surgery is surgery on the heart or great vessels. It is performed in order to correct the problems associated with the heart.  Cardiac surgeon is a specialist in cardiac surgery. Newer methods of heart surgery (such as off-pump and minimally invasive) may reduce risks and speed up recovery time when compared to traditional open heart surgery. A heart specialist performs cardiac surgery to repair or replace heart valves, repair abnormal or damaged structures in the heart, implant medical devices that help control the heartbeat or support heart function and blood flow or to replace a damaged heart with a healthy heart from a donor.