Interventional Cardiology

More Treatment Options for Complex Cardiovascular Diseases in Central Massachusetts and Beyond

We understand that you want effective treatment for your heart condition — with as little downtime as possible so you can get back to living your life. UMass Memorial Health is home to highly skilled interventional cardiologists who treat a range of conditions with minimally invasive techniques. Catheter-guided procedures for heart and blood vessel diseases offer a variety of benefits over open-heart surgery. 

Our interventional cardiology program is one of the busiest in New England. We routinely treat complex conditions in people considered too high risk for surgery, giving them more options for a better quality of life. 

Heart Conditions We Treat

We treat many heart conditions use minimally invasive techniques so you recover faster and with less pain. 

• Atrial fibrillation 
• Cardiomyopathy
• Congenital heart disease
• Coronary artery disease
• Heart failure
• Heart valve disease
• Peripheral artery disease
• Pulmonary hypertension

What Is Interventional Cardiology? 

Interventional cardiologists use catheters (thin, flexible tubes) to treat problems with your heart and blood vessels. Doctors insert the catheters through small needle punctures in your upper leg or wrist instead of making a large incision in your chest. They thread the catheter and any necessary surgical tools through blood vessels to the area that needs treatment. Computerized imaging helps them operate with excellent precision and accuracy.

Benefits of Catheter-Guided Procedures

Interventional procedures offer a variety of benefits over open-heart surgery, including:

• Alternative for high-risk patients: People who are not candidates for major surgery may benefit from a minimally invasive therapy. 
• These procedures usually cause less pain and downtime, usually returning people to normal activities within a week or two. 
• Less anesthesia: Many interventional procedures only require sedation, not general anesthesia, making it safer for some people. 
• Shorter hospital stay: Most people go home the same day or the day after their procedure. 

Our Interventional Cardiology Procedures 

We offer a range of catheter-guided procedures for structural heart diseases, complex coronary disease and other heart and vascular conditions. 

Leaders in Structural Heart Disease Treatment

Structural heart diseases affect the structures inside your heart, such as its valves, walls or muscle tissue. Until recently, structural heart diseases required open surgery. But advances in interventional cardiology now make it possible to treat these conditions with minimally invasive procedures.
Our catheter-guided procedures for heart valve disease include: 

• Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement (TPVR)
• Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) 

Our interventional procedures for adult congenital heart disease include: 

• Alcohol septal ablation for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (thickened heart muscle)
• Atrial septal defect closure for a hole between the upper chambers of the heart
• Patent foramen ovale closure for an opening in the heart that doesn’t close after birth
• Fontan repairs for single ventricle defects (heart has one working pump instead of two)

Complex Coronary Interventions

We use cardiac catheterization to diagnose and treat conditions affecting your coronary arteries. Minimally invasive interventions can prevent heart attacks and ease symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath. Learn about our approach to cardiac catheterization. 

Recognized Expertise in Interventional Cardiology

UMass Memorial Medical Center is proud to have a 3-star rating for TAVR from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons - American College of Cardiology’s Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry, the only site in New England to have this rating.