What is it?
Interventional treatment groups together different therapeutic procedures performed by catheterization — such as coronary angioplasty and stent placement — to treat cardiovascular disease without the need for open-heart surgery.
What is it used for?
It is used to treat blockages or other cardiovascular conditions that, based on medical evaluation, can be resolved through a hemodynamics procedure instead of conventional surgery.
How is it performed, in general terms?
The specific approach depends on each patient's diagnosis. In general, access is gained through an arterial puncture under local anesthesia, and specialized catheters and devices (balloons, stents, among others) are used to treat the affected area.
Typical preparation
Specific preparation depends on the procedure indicated and is determined by the treating team beforehand. You can review the general guidelines for preparing for a study, which always work alongside your physician's specific instructions.
What happens afterward?
It depends on the procedure performed. A period of observation and specific recommendations about rest, medication and follow-up checks are usually indicated.
Frequently asked questions
Mainly coronary angioplasty and stent placement. The complete list of other available procedures is subject to confirmation by SAH.
In many cases it allows patients to avoid it, but it is not always the appropriate alternative. The decision depends on an individual medical evaluation of each case.