Find a Doctor

Work with a skilled VHC Health physician who stay up-to-date on the latest, most effective treatments available. Search online for a cardiovascular specialist.

Cardiac Catheterization & Interventional Cardiology

Rely on skilled doctors at VHC Health to use advanced, minimally invasive techniques to diagnose and treat heart problems.

What’s Cardiac Catheterization?

Cardiac catheterization is a procedure that uses a long, thin tube (catheter) and X-rays to check how well the heart, valves and blood vessels are working. Your doctor places the catheter in a blood vessel in the groin or wrist. Then, he or she guides the catheter to your heart to:

Check for signs of disease
Fix problems, if possible
Determine if you need other treatments, such as surgery

Safer Advanced Technology

Take advantage of advanced equipment in the hands of an experienced team. The Louise Sands Olmstead Cardiac Catheterization Lab at VHC Health uses the Philips Allura Xper FD10 cardiovascular X-ray system and Philips Flat Detector. This advanced technology:

Allows your physician to create and view clear, detailed images of your heart and blood vessels, so you get the most accurate diagnosis and most effective treatments possible
Uses a safer, lower dose of radiation than other X-ray systems

What’s Interventional Cardiology

Interventional cardiology uses nonsurgical, catheter-based procedures to diagnose and treat heart diseases.

Interventional Procedures We Offer

Your doctor may recommend:

Balloon angioplasty with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) – Uses a catheter to guide and inflate a small balloon to widen a narrowed or blocked blood vessel and restore blood flow
Cryoablation – Uses extreme cold to target cells in the heart that cause an irregular heartbeat
Impella® placement – Inserts a tiny device in the body to help the heart pump blood to manage heart failure
MitraClip device placement – Treats mitral valve regurgitation by attaching a tiny clip to the mitral valve so it closes more fully to improve blood flow in the heart
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) – Replaces the aortic valve to treat stenosis
Stenting – Places a device called a stent in the artery to keep it open and allow blood to flow to the heart

Benefits of Interventional Procedures

If you and your care team decide minimally invasive, catheter-based procedures are the best choice for you, you may benefit from:

Shorter recovery time and hospital stay
Lower chance of complications, such as infection
Smaller scars
Smaller, less painful incisions

Late Cancellation & No-Show

At VHC Health, we recognize the importance of our patients’ time and are committed to providing efficient and timely care. By giving us advance notice, you help us accommodate as many patients as possible and minimize disruptions to the schedule.

The Cardiac Catheterization Lab is now requiring advance notice for appointment changes or late cancellations. This notice helps us accommodate as many patients as possible and minimizes disruptions to our patient schedule. Failure to notify us less than 48 business hours in advance of your scheduled appointment time, or failure to show for your scheduled appointment, may result in a late cancellation or no-show fee of $250.