Heart & Vascular Intervention

The University of Chicago Medical Center interventional cardiologists are leaders in the use of catheter-based techniques to open plaque-filled vessels in patients with coronary and peripheral artery disease. Our minimally invasive blood vessel interventionalists are very experienced in performing complex procedures on high-risk patients with severe blockages and can drastically reduce the risks created by blood clots or tissue dislodged during treatment by using filters to trap clots, devices that snare tissue debris, and powerful new anti-platelet medications. Our high level of heart disease expertise does make a difference leading to better outcomes.

Unlike many hospitals, a University of Chicago Hospitals cardiologist is immediately available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to perform emergency angioplasty procedures to alleviate severe chest pain and restore blood flow after a heart attack.

The University of Chicago Medical Center at 150 E. Huron will provide access to:

• Direct consultation for patients requiring intervention for coronary, valvular and vascular (diseases of the aorta and peripheral vascular system) disease.
• A complete assortment of approved and experimental techniques to clear clogged arteries anywhere in the body. This includes the latest advances in angioplasty, bioactive stents, atherectomy, stent grafts, and devices for opening difficult chronic total occlusions with access to a remote navigation Stereotaxis Interventional Procedural room.
• Pioneering techniques for treating blocked carotid arteries with stent and use of distal protection devices.
• Endovascular stent grafting for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms and thoracic aortic aneurysms. Our Interventionists work as a team with our excellent Vascular and Cardiac surgeons to provide personalized patient interventions.

---

Other interventional cardiology techniques available at University of Chicago:

• Removal of blockage with atherectomy with using directional (DCA) and FoxHollow technique, and Rotoblation. These interventional techniques are performed from a tiny catheter inserted into the narrowed artery to remove the plaque blocking the artery.
• Removal of clot with thrombectomy using a variety of devices.
• Valvuloplasty, an interventional procedure using a catheter to open up narrowed heart valves.
• Alcohol septal ablation, an interventional technique in which alcohol is injected into a branch of a coronary artery to treat a condition called Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy (HOCM)
• Minimally invasive closure of congenital heart defects such as atrial septal defect and patent foramen ovale.
• Pericardiocentesis, a procedure to remove fluid from the sac surrounding the heart.
• Myocardial biopsy, a technique to obtain sample of minuscule pieces of heart tissue for testing.
• Genetic Testing