Interventional Cardiology

Treatments for Cardiovascular Issues and Heart Stents

Interventional cardiology uses invasive diagnostic tools and treats diseases affecting the blood vessels. Memorial offers advanced options for cardiovascular and peripheral vascular diseases. Our catheterization (cath) lab team includes board certified, interventional cardiologists, experienced cardiac registered nurses, and radiology technologists. As a result of the tremendous growth of our heart services, Memorial has expanded its catheterization program with the most recent addition of a third cath lab. Some of the cath lab procedures performed include:

• Cardiac and Peripheral Catheterization - A form of diagnostic testing in which a hollow tube is inserted into a blood vessel to determine if any cardiovascular disease is present.
• Cardiac and Peripheral Angiography – A type of x-ray diagnostic test that examines the blood vessels to look for blockages or narrowing.
• Coronary Angioplasty- A treatment for blockage in which a small narrow balloon is inserted into the blood vessel and inflated, which clears an opening for blood to flow more freely. The balloon is then deflated and removed.
• Cardiac Stents – A stent is a small mesh tube placed within the blocked area of the artery and, using the same techniques as angioplasty, expanded with the use of a balloon. The stent remains in place to keep the artery open even after the balloon is removed. Some stents now contain special medications that they release over time to help prevent blockages from reforming.
• Heart Valve Repair & Replacement – Valve repair and replacement are performed to treat a variety of conditions. One of the most advanced procedures is TAVRs (transcatheter aortic valve replacement), for those suffering from valve stenosis. Our multi-disciplinary heart team consisting of interventional cardiologist Edward Bergen, DO, along with cardiovascular/thoracic surgeon Gregory Lugo, MD take a rigorous approach to patient care through our Valve Clinic. With the innovative procedures we are utilizing in treating aortic valve disease, including balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) and TAVR, patients can have an enriched and improved quality of life.

The First in the Country

Of the 645 Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Programs nationally, Memorial’s Heart & Vascular Team is the *FIRST to receive the American College of Cardiology’s prestigious Transcatheter Valve Certification. This recognition demonstrates expertise in TAVR, a less invasive option to replace diseased aortic valves without open heart surgery. While being first is not the goal, doing what we do well, implementing best practices, and achieving quality outcomes is our priority. That’s the importance of the ACC certification. It recognizes our commitment to the highest TAVR standards.

Cardiology Services Nationally Recognized

In 2019, Lake Charles Memorial Hospital was recognized as one of the top programs in the nation for Medical Excellence in Interventional Coronary Care. The award was from CareChex® — an information service of Quantros, Inc. CareChex is an innovative medical quality rating system designed to assist hospitals and health systems in improving the quality of inpatient care and promoting medical excellence to consumers, payers and employers.

The analysis by CareChex looks at patient safety, inpatient quality and measures of mortality, complications and readmission rates. Unlike other publicly available quality rankings, CareChex provides a composite evaluation of all components of medical quality including process of care, outcomes of care, and patient experiences. For access to provider quality ratings, visit www.CareChex.com.

For more information, call 337.494.3245.