Peripheral Vascular Intervention (WAS Peripheral Vascular Intervention)

Interventional Neuro-Radiology/Radiology

Electrophysiology Services ((EP) Electrical Activity of the Heart/Ablation etc.)

• Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

  Oxygen is supplied to the heart muscle by the right and the left coronary arteries. These two main arteries further subdivide supplying blood with oxygen to the heart muscle.When these arteries get totally or partially blocked the heart muscle gets insufficient oxygen to perform its work. This initially results in chest pain or angina. If left untreated the heart muscle will actually die. This is called a myocardial infarction or heart attack. With surgical correction a bypass graft is done. That is, a conduit is taken either from the chest or the leg and used to bypass the coronary artery at the point of the blockage

  The heart acts like a pump, it generates a pressure, which enables it to pump blood through the lungs and then to the rest of the body. In order to do this the blood must flow only in one direction. The heart accomplishes this because of four one-way valves present inside the heart, which open and close in synergy with each pump of the heart, thereby allowing blood to flow in one direction. If these valves become defective,which could occur as after a valve infection or a heart attack involving the valve, they either become stiff and cannot open which is called stenosis or they may become too flaccid to close which is called incompetence or it may be a combination of both these conditions. When this occurs the pump is unable to generate enough pressure to pump blood throughout the lungs and around the body. During surgery the valve is either repaired or replaced.

• Valve Replacement or Repair

  The heart acts like a pump, it generates a pressure, which enables it to pump blood through the lungs and then to the rest of the body. In order to do this the blood must flow only in one direction. The heart accomplishes this because of four one-way valves present inside the heart, which open and close in synergy with each pump of the heart, thereby allowing blood to flow in one direction. If these valves become defective,which could occur as after a valve infection or a heart attack involving the valve, they either become stiff and cannot open which is called stenosis or they may become too flaccid to close which is called incompetence or it may be a combination of both these conditions. When this occurs the pump is unable to generate enough pressure to pump blood throughout the lungs and around the body. During surgery the valve is either repaired or replaced.

• Thoracic Aortic Surgery

  The aorta is the main pipe that takes blood from the heart and directs it to the rest of the body. Sometimes because of hypertension or a genetic disorder the aorta can actually blow up somewhat like a balloon. This ballooning of the aorta is called an aortic aneurysm, which can eventually rupture causing sudden death. Depending on the location of the aneurysm on the aorta it can be repaired with a tube graft at surgery or it can be reinforced by placing a stent in the area of the aneurysm. Sometimes due to high pressure or an accident the aortic wall itself may start splitting. This is called a dissecting aorta and depending on its location results in a medical emergency. A dissecting aorta can be repaired by a cardiologist performing a tube graft or stenting in the area of the dissection.

• Aortic Dissection / Aneurysm Repair
  • An Aortic dissection is a serious condition in which the inner layer of the aorta, the large blood vessel branching off the heart, tears. Blood surges through the tear, causing the inner and middle layers of the aorta to separate(dissect). If the blood-filled channel ruptures through the outside aortic wall, aortic dissection is often fatal.
  • An Aortic Aneurysm is an abnormal bulge that occurs in the wall of the major blood vessel (aorta) that carries blood from your heart to your body. Aortic aneurysms can occur anywhere in your aorta and may be tube-shaped (fusiform) or round(saccular)Both conditions are treated via surgery
• PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL & ADULT CONGENITAL HEART SURGERY

  Sometimes patients are born with heart defects. This is called congenital heart disease. There are a multiplicity of congenital heart defects some of which have to be repaired surgically as an emergency, as in transposition of the great vessels, or electively as in atrial septal defects. On some occasions patients with congenital heart disease survive to adulthood before the defect in the heart becomes clinically significant. Depending on the defect, correction could be achieved by either surgery or with Interventional Cardiology.

• • CORONARY ( AORTIC, RENAL, PERIPHERAL ) ANGIOGRAMS, INCLUDING PAEDIATRIC CASES –A procedure during which an interventional cardiologist injects a dye via a special catheter into your coronary arteries in order to obtain x-ray images of the blood circulation within the heart.
  • CORONARY ( AORTIC, RENAL, PERIPHERAL ) ANGIOPLASTY AND STENTING –A procedure to open blocked or narrowed arteries using a balloon, after which a small mesh tube called a stent is inserted into the open artery.
  • FIBROID EMBOLIZATION –A non-surgical invasive procedure to destroy fibroids in the uterus.
  • NEURORADIOLOGICAL PROCEDURES –These are Cath Lab procedures that are alternatives to brain surgery such as Cerebral Aneurysm Coiling and/or Stenting and repair of AV malformation. Cerebral Aneurysm Coiling and/or Stenting is a procedure for the closure of an aneurysm (dilatation) or vascular malformation in the arteries of the brain and repair of AV malformation.
  • PAEDIATRIC CATHETERIZATIONS –Right Heart Catheterization, Congenital Heart Disease plus Closure of Heart Defects (ASD, VSD, PFO)

• ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY SERVICES 
• Vascular Services 
• VALVE VALVULOPLASTY –A procedure to repair narrowed heart valves (stenotic).
• RENAL ABLATION –A procedure for the treatment of patients with severe hypertension by ablating the kidney arteries.

• GENERAL CARDIOLOGY CLINIC:Including treatment of coronary artery disease, Hypertension, heart failure and other cardiac pathologies.
• CARDIAC SURGERY CLINIC:Our cardiothoracic surgeons diagnose and treat, Patients in need of bypass or valve surgery.
• ARRHYTHMIA/ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY (EP) CLINIC:Treatment to patients with irregular, slow or fast heart rates, dizziness, fainting.
• VASCULAR CLINIC:Patients with peripheral artery disease, nonsurgical treatment of diabetic feet.
• ANTI-COAGULATION CLINIC:Drug treatment to regulate the clotting process in the blood.
• ECHO CLINIC :This clinic, which is unique to the Caribbean, is done by Cardiologists specialised in Echocardiography who can perform 3D ECHOs, Exercise and Pharmacological Stress ECHOs and TEEs. They also assist in diagnosis and screening of valve and congenital heart disease.

This department was founded in 2012 and since then has received several grants from patients and institutions, which have been dedicated to research and education on Cardiovascular disease. Several articles have also been published in peer reviewed and indexed journals.

Several local and foreign consultants participate in this Research and Developmentinitiative assisted by two directors: Professor Gianni D.Angelini and Dr. Risshi D. Rampersad.

Newsday: Tuesday March 12th 2013
Caribbean Heart Care Medcorp team performs brain procedure on baby.