Interventional Cardiology

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

In the 1960’s, doctors developed saphenous vein coronary bypass surgery, which 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.

The advent of angioplasty in the 1980’s enabled doctors to thread a balloon-type catheter into the artery to compress plaque and improve blood flow to the heart. Angioplasty reduced the number of patients who had to undergo bypass surgery and treated people who were not healthy enough for major surgery.

For as many as 50 percent of patients who undergo angioplasty, however, blockages reoccur. Morristown Memorial doctors were the only professionals in the state of New Jersey to participate in a very successful trial in which drug-coated stents (tiny wire coils which keep arteries open after surgery) were inserted into the heart during in angioplasty.  This procedure has now become the standard across the country, and has significantly improved results for angioplasty patients. Every year, Morristown Memorial doctors perform more than 7,500 successful cardiac catherizations and angioplasties annually, saving thousands of lives.

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. Morristown Memorial also uses radiation therapy to prevent another blockage from occurring after the procedure.

All of these procedures are performed in one of Morristown Memorial'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. 

When the next giant step in the treatment of atherosclerosis is discovered, Morristown Memorial will lead the way. Our doctors are always at the forefront of major advances in cardiology, and we are a well-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.