Under the leadership of Hal Wasserman, M.D., director of Interventional Cardiovascular Services and director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, and Mark Warshofsky, M.D., associate director, patients benefit from access to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in one location. Dr. Wasserman and Dr. Warshofsky are joined by a dedicated team of nurses and technicians specializing in cardiac catheterization and interventional procedures.
Coronary Artery Intervention
If an angiogram confirms a blockage in an artery, angioplasty and stenting may be the treatment of choice. These procedures widen the channel where blood flows in an artery. This procedure is also done in the cardiac catheterization laboratory and is often performed with diagnostic catheterization during the same procedure. If a balloon or stent procedure is performed an overnight stay in the hospital is usually required.
Balloon Angioplasty - In this procedure, a balloon-tipped catheter is inserted into the affected coronary artery. The balloon is inflated to push the plaque aside and open the artery.
Stenting - In more than 80 percent of interventions today, a stent is used as a permanent scaffold to hold the artery open. Studies have shown that stenting makes the procedure safer and gives a better long term result. A stent is a flexible tube made of wire mesh. Depending on the length and location of blockage, more than one stent may be required. Some stents are drug-eluting, meaning they slowly release medication over a period of time. The medication reduces the amount of scar tissue that forms inside the artery and helps to prevent restenosis (a renarrowing of the artery at the same site).
Intervention for Heart Attack
Almost all heart attacks are caused by a sudden complete blockage of a coronary artery. Coronary artery angioplasty and stenting has been shown to be the best treatment option for this problem. Danbury Hospital is committed to providing this standard of care for our patients and has a specialized, highly experienced team of physicians, nurses and technicians available 24/7 for emergency treatment of heart attacks.
Non Coronary Interventions
Procedures are also available to treat other heart “problems” Some congenital (present since birth) heart problems such as atrial septal defect (a hole connecting the two upper chambers of the heart) can be corrected in the cardiac catheterization laboratory and also require only an overnight stay in the hospital. Previously these defects required open heart surgery.
Another type of abnormal communication in the heart is a patent foramen ovale (PFO). In some patients, a PFO can be the cause of strokes and in this setting, the PFO can be closed in a procedure similar to that for ASD.
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardiac catheterization is a common invasive diagnostic test which evaluates the coronary arteries that provide blood to the heart, the pumping chambers and valves of the heart. A small puncture is made in an artery in the leg or arm and a physician then threads a catheter or tube through the entry site and advances it up to the heart and the opening of the coronary arteries. The most common reason for a cardiac catheterization is to evaluate blockages in the arteries of the heart. Through the use of x-rays and an injected contrast or dye, your physician will obtain x-ray pictures of your coronary arteries and cardiac chambers and also be able to measure pressures in your heart. The angiograms (images) show the location and degree of narrowing in the artery. These details help your doctor form a plan to treat these blockages. The number, location, and characteristics of the blockages will affect treatment. The common treatments for coronary artery blockages are medication, interventional procedures such as angioplasty and stenting and coronary artery bypass surgery.
Cardiac catheterization is also performed to evaluate the muscle function of the heart, to determine the severity of problems with the valves of the heart, or to evaluate congenital heart diseases.
Specialized Diagnostic Procedures: For patients with symptoms and blockages of moderate severity, the cardiac catheterization laboratory at Danbury Hospital offers both intravascular ultrasound and intra-artery flow studies that give additional detailed information about the degree of blockages and its effect on the blood flow to the heart.
Patient Information: Prior to your procedure, you will meet with a member of our staff who will prepare you with written instructions and an informational booklet. You will also have an opportunity to watch a video about the procedure.
