Interventional Cardiology

Innovative technology makes it possible to diagnose and treat many complex heart diseases without open-heart surgery. At Cleveland Clinic London, our internationally recognised cardiologists lead the way in minimally invasive interventions for coronary artery disease, valve disease and structural heart disease. Our experts combine the latest imaging and surgical technology with extensive training and experience to deliver life-changing results.

What Is Interventional Cardiology?

Interventional cardiology is a minimally invasive approach to treating a range of cardiac conditions. Instead of performing open-heart surgery, we use imaging guidance and catheters (thin, flexible tubes) to access and treat your heart’s delicate blood vessels and valves. 

These procedures involve very small incisions or needle punctures (usually in the groin or wrist) instead of large cuts in your chest or neck. Heart interventions also offer a much-needed treatment option for people who are at higher risk from open surgery due to age or complex medical needs. 

Highlights of our interventional cardiology services include: 

• Depth of expertise: Our cardiologists focus on mitral, tricuspid and aortic valve interventions, including transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER). We also offer a broad range of complex coronary and structural interventions, including left atrial appendage closure and treatment of chronic total occlusions. 
• Team approach: Experts in cardiology, heart imaging, interventional radiology, electrophysiology and heart surgery work together to build your treatment plan. You can often see multiple specialists in a single visit, so you receive convenient, coordinated care from London’s top cardiac consultants. 
• Focus on long-term heart health: Interventional cardiology helps us treat many diseases now while giving us new ways to plan for your future health. We use these techniques to assess your heart health and risk for problems such as heart attacks or strokes. Our team also helps people with chest pain (angina), breathlessness, heart palpitations, high blood pressure and other conditions, initiating treatment which can lead to longer, healthier lives. 
• State-of-the-art cardiac catheterisation labs: Our state-of-the-art facility features three cardiac cath labs and a hybrid operating theatre. The hybrid theatre combines the latest technologies in imaging, catheterisation and surgery. It enables our team to deliver the most complex treatments, such as combined open and interventional therapies, in a single procedure and with less invasive techniques. 
• Second opinions: If you have a previously diagnosed heart condition, we can take a second look, reviewing your imaging scans and test results. Our breadth of experience and access to leading-edge equipment means we can often offer newer, less invasive treatments than other centres. 
• Academic and clinical leaders: Our experts are leaders in their fields, dedicated to ongoing research on the latest cardiac procedures. They’re often among the first to introduce new techniques to the U.K, such as radial (wrist) access for interventional procedures and next-generation devices for left atrial appendage closure and treatment of mitral and tricuspid valve regurgitation. 

Our interventional specialists care for:

• Acute coronary syndrome.
• Aortic valve stenosis.
• Atrial fibrillation.
• Atrial septal defect and ventricular septal defect.
• Chronic total occlusion.
• Coronary artery disease.
• Heart attack.
• Heart failure.
• Heart valve diseases (aortic, mitral and tricuspid).
• Leaky heart valves.
• Left ventricular hypertrophy.
• Mitral regurgitation.
• Mitral valve stenosis and prolapse.
• Patent foramen ovale.
• Tricuspid regurgitation.

Our Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology Services

We offer a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic cardiac interventions for valve disease, structural heart disease and coronary artery disease. Benefits include:

• Faster recovery.
• Fewer risks.
• Less pain.
• Smaller scars.

Diagnostic cardiac catheterisation

We use cardiac catheterisation to give us detailed information about blood flow and pressure in your heart’s vessels.

Our cardiac catheter lab has the latest equipment for optimal safety, comfort and accuracy. We combine minimally invasive, catheter-based tests with non-invasive tests, such as echocardiography, to guide treatment decisions.

We offer:

• Fractional flow reserve (FFR): A guidewire with a pressure sensor measures blood flow on either side of a coronary artery blockage.
• Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS): A small ultrasound probe attached to a catheter uses sound waves to help us examine plaque build-up on the artery walls.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT): OCT uses light waves to create highly detailed pictures of your arteries. OCT delivers much higher resolution images than IVUS.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)

Our cardiologists have specialised expertise in interventions for complex forms of coronary artery disease, including chronic total occlusion (CTO). CTO is a complete blockage of a coronary artery for longer than three months. It can increase your risk for a heart attack or dangerous arrhythmias.

Traditionally, a CTO required coronary artery bypass surgery. But advances in interventional technology mean many people can now have minimally invasive treatment. During percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), we:

1. Use catheters, special guidewires and balloons to widen narrowed coronary arteries.
2. Hold the artery open with stents (small mesh tubes).

We may combine PCI with rotational atherectomy for people with severely calcified arteries that make it difficult to inflate balloons or place stents. Rotational atherectomy uses a rotating burr to break up calcified plaque (furring) inside coronary arteries.

Structural and valvular interventions

We offer safe and effective percutaneous procedures for structural heart diseases (affecting your heart’s walls, chambers or muscles) and valvular heart diseases (affecting your heart’s valves). These minimally invasive treatments can help relieve chest pain, breathlessness, palpitations and other symptoms. They can also reduce your risk of a stroke or pulmonary hypertension (increased pressure in the blood vessels of your lungs).

Our structural interventions include:

• Atrial septal defect (ASD) closure: We implant a closure device to fix a hole in the wall between your heart’s upper chambers (atria).
• Left atrial appendage (LAA) closure: We close or block the sac on the top left chamber of your heart. LAA closure can prevent blood clots from entering your bloodstream.
• Paravalvular leak (PVL) closure: A closure device plugs the leak between your natural heart tissue and a replacement heart valve from a previous procedure.
• Patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure: We implant an umbrella-like device to close the defect in the atrial septum.

Our valvular interventions include:

• Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI): We implant an artificial valve in your heart to treat aortic valve stenosis (narrowed or stiffened valve between your aorta and the lower left chamber of your heart). Cleveland Clinic London is among the first centres in Europe to utilise the latest transcatheter heart valve system, which is designed to improve the average lifespan of a bioprosthetic valve due to advanced anti-calcification technology, resulting in better patient outcomes.
• Transcatheter edge-to-edge-repair (TEER): We use special devices to clip the leaflets of a leaky mitral or tricuspid valve. The clip helps the valve open and close properly, preventing regurgitation (backward blood flow).

Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Self-Pay Services

Whether you need a cardiac MRI scan, or want to know the cost of interventional cardiology, sports cardiology, surgical procedures or other services, we can help. Cleveland Clinic London has the most innovative tests and treatments available for self-pay, so you’re prepared for whatever turn your health takes. Find out more.

Learn More

Contact us or call +44 20 3423 7500 for more information including booking an appointment.

For specific information about our heart, vascular or thoracic services you can also email the HVTI access team [email protected].