Interventional Cardiology

Enormous interventional cardiology advancements have made the treatment of blocked arteries (atherosclerosis) much safer and longer lasting for millions of cardiology patients.

Coronary Bypass Surgery

Saphenous vein coronary bypass surgery re-routes blood flow around a blockage in the coronary artery using a blood vessel from a patient's leg, arm or chest to bypass a problem area and improve blood flow to the heart.

Angioplasty

Angioplasty enables doctors to thread a balloon-type catheter into the artery to compress plaque and improve blood flow to the heart. Angioplasty reduces the number of patients who undergo bypass surgery and treats people who are not healthy enough for major surgery.

Cardiac Catheterizations

In close to 50 percent of patients who undergo angioplasty, blockages reoccur. Doctors at Morristown Memorial Hospital were the only professionals in New Jersey to participate in a very successful trial in which drug-coated stents (tiny wire coils that keep arteries open after surgery) were inserted into the heart during an angioplasty. This procedure has now become the standard across the country, and has significantly improved results for angioplasty patients. Every year, doctors at Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute at Morristown Memorial perform more than 7,500 successful cardiac catheterizations and angioplasties.

Doctors consider each individual’s symptoms and condition before choosing the right treatment for blocked arteries. If you have severely calcified blockages, doctors may perform rotational atherectomy, in which an opening is made in a calcified vessel. Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute also uses radiation therapy to prevent another blockage from occurring after the procedure.

Cardiac Catheterization Labs

All of these procedures are performed in Gagnon's five state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization labs. Digital cardiovascular imaging enables doctors to view hard-to-see blood vessels, stents and balloons with exceptional clarity under even the most difficult conditions. Digital technology also minimizes your exposure to radiation.

Our cardiologists are always at the forefront of major advances in cardiology, and we are a respected participant in ongoing national clinical trials. Currently, we’re working on new treatments using gene therapy, (medically) coated stents and new balloon angioplasty designs.