Interventional Cardiology

Interventional cardiology is a specialised branch of cardiology that deals with the catheter-based treatment of structural heart diseases. Interventional cardiology usually involves using a catheter- a small, flexible tube – to repair weakened or damaged vessels, narrowed arteries, or other affected parts of the heart structure.

Common conditions treated by interventional cardiology include coronary artery disease, heart valve disease and peripheral vascular disease.

Since it is a minimally invasive procedure, interventional cardiology offers many benefits over other major surgeries. These include:

  • Less risk of infection
  • Decreased pain
  • Decreased recovery time
  • Avoidance of large scars
  • Procedure is performed on an outpatient basis
  • Cardiac Catheterisation Procedures

Minimally invasive procedures

Dr Ntuli performs all his interventional cardiology procedures in a special hospital room, called a Cath Lab. As an Interventional Cardiologist, Dr Ntuli specialises in the use of catheters to perform minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures.These procedures, such as stenting, angioplasties, and catheter insertion, are performed by guiding tools through the body’s arteries. For many patients, these minimally invasive interventional procedures are an appropriate alternative to surgery and cause much less pain and discomfort.

Cardiac catheterisation

In cardiac catheterisation, Dr Ntuli guides a catheter to the heart to perform diagnostic examinations and treatment procedures such as:

Balloon angioplasty: A thin, flexible tube (catheter) with a tiny balloon at its tip is guided to the area of a blocked or narrowed artery. The balloon gets inflated to compress the plaque against the artery wall to help restore blood flow.

Catheter ablation: A catheter is used to deliver focused energy to specific parts of the heart, creating a tiny scar that stops irregular electrical impulses that come from the pulmonary veins.

Coronary stents: A catheter is used to insert a small metal tube at the area of a narrowed coronary artery to relieve narrowing. Some stents contain medications that can possibly reduce the risk of the artery becoming blocked again.