Heart and Vascular Procedures

Our heart and vascular experts use the state-of-the-art technology to perform a variety of surgical and non-surgical procedures for acute and chronic conditions.

• Ablation for Varicose and Spider Veins — A vascular expert uses a catheter to apply heat and/or chemicals to seal the vein.
• AFib Ablation — Ablation creates scars inside the heart to disrupt the electrical signals that cause irregular heartbeats.
• Angioplasty (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention) — PCI is a routine procedure that checks for plaque buildups in your arteries.
• Aortic Root Surgery — During surgery, your provider will treat an aneurysm, which is a weakening in the wall of your aortic root.
• Aortic Valve Surgery — Open chest or minimally invasive surgery to resolve problems with your aortic valve caused by aortic valve disease.
• Arterial Bypass Surgery — During arterial bypass surgery, you vascular provider will reroute blood flow around a blocked blood vessel.
• Cardiac (Heart) Catheterization — Also known as a coronary angiogram, this procedure shows blockages, blood flow problems, and other issues within the arteries leading to your heart.
• Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices — These small battery-powered devices connect to your heart to help monitor and control your rhythm.
• Carotid Artery Angioplasty and Stenting (CAS) — Providers insert a catheter to open a blocked carotid artery and insert a mesh stent to keep the artery open.
• Carotid Endarterectomy — Carotid endarterectomies remove blockages in carotid arteries to lower your risk of stroke.
• Catheter Ablation — Also called cardiac ablation, this minimally invasive procedure treats heart rhythm disorders by blocking electrical signals that cause your heartbeat to increase.
• Compression Therapy — Doctors use compression therapy to reduce fluid build-up from vascular conditions like lymphedema and varicose veins.
• Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery — CABG restores blood flow to your heart by using a healthy blood vessel to bypass a blocked artery.
• Electrical Cardioversion — Electrical cardioversion corrects an irregular heartbeat using paddles or patches outside of your chest.
• Emergent Aortic Dissection Repair — This surgical procedure replaces the damaged part of the aorta with a synthetic graft.
• Endarterectomy Surgery — During an endarterectomy, surgeons remove plaque buildup in your arteries to restore blood flow.
• Event Recorders — An event recorder or Holter monitor provides continuous heart function monitoring for 24 hours or longer.
• Heart Valve Surgery — When a heart valve isn't working properly, heart valve surgery can restore function.
• Holter Monitor (24-Hour Electrocardiogram Monitoring) — An event recorder or Holter monitor provides continuous heart function monitoring for 24 hours or longer
• Hybrid Ablation &mash; This minimally invasive procedure helps address chronic atrial fibrillation.
• Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) Insertion — An ICD device monitors and treats heart rhythm issues.
• iSVR: Intercostal Surgical Valve Replacement — This minimally invasive procedure treats heart valve conditions through the intercostal space between your ribs without cutting into your breastbone.
• Left Atrial Appendage Ligation (LAL) — During a LAL procedure, surgeons insert a pouch-like extension.
• Pacemaker and Defibrillator Lead Extraction — During lead extraction, an electrophysiolost remove the wires that carry electrical current from your device to your heart.
• MAZE Procedure for AFib — During MAZE, a surgeon uses scar tissue to "disconnect" the electrical impulses that cause AFib.
• Microphlebectomy — This outpatient procedure removes varicose or spider veins through small incisions in the skin.
• MitraClip® Therapy — Surgeons use MitraClip to resolve mitral valve regurgitation.
• Mitral Valve Surgery — During open-heart or minimally invasive surgery, doctors repair or replace a damaged heart valve.
• Open Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair — Surgeons use open thoracoabdominal repair to prevent aortic rupture or dissection.
• Ozaki Procedure for Aortic Valve Replacement — The Ozaki procedure uses tissue from your pericardium to repair or replace your damaged heart valve.
• Pacemakers — Doctors use pacemakers to regulate a slow heartbeat.
• Percutaneous Atherectomy — Surgeons use this procedure to resolve an artery blockage or plaque build-up.
• Peripheral Angioplasty and Stenting — Doctors use angioplasty to open up blocked arteries. Stenting helps keep the artery open to improve blood flow.
• Peripheral Vascular Ablation — Vascular specialists use lasers to clear blockages related to peripheral artery disease (PAD).
• Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Closure — During PFO closure, your provider uses a catheter to implant a closure device into a hole in the wall between the upper left and right heart chambers.
• Popliteal Aneurysm Repair — This procedure uses a stent or graft to repair an aneurysm and reduce the risk of rupture, blood clots, or blocked arteries.
• Renal Artery Stenting — This minimally invasive procedure treats renal artery stenosis or the narrowing of arteries that deliver blood to the kidneys.
• Sclerotherapy — During Sclerotherapy, tiny needle injections collapse visible varicose and spider veins.
• Septal Defect Repair — This procedure repairs a common congenital heart abnormality by placing a closure device into the heart using a catheter.
• Septal Myectomy — This open-heart surgery treats HCM by removing a portion of thickened heart muscle.
• Sternotomy Approach for Aortic Aneurysm Repair — Cardiac surgeons repair an aortic aneurysm via a minimally invasive incision to expose your heart.
• Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Procedure — TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat aortic stenosis.
• Thoracic Endovascular Repair for Aortic Aneurysms (TEVAR) — TEVAR is a minimally invasive procedure to fix aortic aneurysm or aortic dissection without open-heart surgery.
• Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) — This diagnostic procedure uses sound waves to review your heart and the arteries around it.
• Tricuspid Valve Surgery — Doctors perform tricuspid valve surgery in both open-heart and minimally invasive formats to resolve issues with the valve.
• Venous Bypass Surgery — Doctors use venous bypass surgery to resolve blood flow issues in your veins.
• Venous Stents — Surgeons use venous stents to expand blocked or narrowed vein walls.
• Watchman Device™ for Atrial Fibrillation — Doctors implant the Watchman device during minimally invasive surgery to resolve atrial fibrillation.

Last reviewed by a UPMC medical professional on 2024-10-01.