Start with what you need treated.

Heart implants cover a range of devices placed inside or on the heart to correct rhythm disturbances, valve disease, or pump failure, including pacemakers, implantable defibrillators, and prosthetic valves. The specific device is chosen based on the underlying cardiac condition identified through ECG, echocardiography, and other cardiac tests. Implantation is performed by a cardiac surgeon or electrophysiologist, often through a small chest incision or catheter-based approach. Patients are monitored in hospital for a few days to confirm proper device function. Regular follow-up visits are required to check device performance and battery life. With modern implants, patients can return to an active, near-normal lifestyle.

Balloon angioplasty is one of the oldest and most fundamental interventional cardiology techniques, used to treat narrowed arteries caused by atherosclerosis. A catheter carrying a small balloon is threaded to the site of blockage and inflated to compress plaque against the artery wall, restoring the vessel's diameter. It is frequently combined with stent placement to maintain long-term patency. The procedure is done under fluoroscopic guidance and usually takes under an hour. Patients are observed for a short period afterward for bleeding or vascular complications at the puncture site. Recovery is fast, and most people resume normal activity within a few days.

Cardiac ablation corrects abnormal heart rhythms by targeting the specific tissue responsible for erratic electrical signals. Thin catheters are guided through blood vessels into the heart, and the abnormal focus is identified using electrical mapping before radiofrequency or cryo-energy is applied to scar and neutralize it. The procedure typically takes two to four hours depending on the complexity of the arrhythmia. Patients are kept under cardiac monitoring for a day to watch for recurrence or complications. Most people can resume normal activities within a few days to a week. Ablation offers a long-term or permanent cure for many arrhythmias that do not respond well to medication alone.

Device closure of atrial septal defects (ASD) or ventricular septal defects (VSD) is performed by threading a catheter carrying a folded occluder device to the defect, where it is expanded to seal the opening on both sides of the septum. This transcatheter approach is guided by echocardiography and fluoroscopy and avoids the need for open-heart surgery in anatomically suitable patients. The procedure generally takes one to two hours under sedation or general anesthesia. Patients are monitored overnight for device position and heart rhythm. Antiplatelet medication is usually prescribed for several months after the procedure. It is a safe and effective option for both children and adults with appropriately sized defects.

Double valve replacement is performed when two heart valves are simultaneously diseased, most often due to rheumatic heart disease or degenerative valve disorders. The surgeon opens the chest, places the patient on a heart-lung bypass machine, and replaces both diseased valves with mechanical or tissue prostheses. The operation typically takes four to six hours. Patients spend the first day or two in intensive care before moving to a step-down unit for continued recovery. Full recovery takes six to eight weeks, with cardiac rehabilitation recommended to regain strength. Lifelong anticoagulation is generally required if mechanical valves are used.

A cardiac PET scan (positron emission tomography) evaluates myocardial blood flow and metabolic activity to determine which areas of heart muscle are still viable after a heart attack or in the setting of coronary artery disease. A radioactive tracer is injected intravenously, and a scanner captures detailed images of how the heart uses it, often combined with a stress test. The procedure is painless and usually completed within two to three hours including preparation. No incision or anesthesia is required, and patients can go home the same day. Results help guide decisions on whether revascularization procedures like angioplasty or bypass surgery would be beneficial.

Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation, most commonly the Maze procedure, involves creating precise lines of scar tissue in the atria to interrupt the chaotic electrical circuits that sustain the arrhythmia, using radiofrequency, cryoablation, or surgical incisions. It may be performed as an open procedure or minimally invasively, and is often combined with other heart surgeries such as valve repair. The operation takes two to four hours depending on technique and concurrent procedures. Patients require close heart rhythm monitoring during recovery, which may include a temporary pacemaker. Most patients see significant improvement in rhythm control and reduced stroke risk. Full recovery takes several weeks.

Balloon mitral valvotomy (BMV) is a minimally invasive treatment for mitral stenosis, most often resulting from rheumatic fever. A catheter with a balloon is passed through a vein, guided across the septum into the left atrium, and positioned across the narrowed valve before being inflated to separate the fused valve leaflets. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia with sedation and takes about one to two hours. Patients are monitored for a day for bleeding or rhythm disturbances. It offers excellent symptom relief and can be repeated later in life if the valve renarrows. It is preferred over surgery in patients with suitable valve anatomy.

Heart surgery encompasses a wide range of procedures used to treat coronary artery disease, valve disorders, congenital heart defects, and heart failure. Depending on the diagnosis, the surgeon may perform bypass grafting, valve repair or replacement, or correction of structural abnormalities, often using a heart-lung bypass machine to keep the body oxygenated while the heart is stopped. The type of incision and duration of surgery varies widely based on complexity. Patients spend the initial recovery period in intensive care before being moved to a general ward. Cardiac rehabilitation is an important part of recovery, helping patients regain strength and endurance safely. Long-term outcomes depend on the specific condition treated and overall heart health.

A CRT-D device combines cardiac resynchronization therapy with an implantable defibrillator to treat patients with heart failure and an abnormal electrical conduction pattern that causes the ventricles to beat out of sync. Leads are placed in the right atrium, right ventricle, and via the coronary sinus into the left ventricle to allow coordinated pacing, while the defibrillator function protects against life-threatening arrhythmias. The implant procedure is done under local anesthesia and takes about one to two hours. Patients are observed overnight to confirm proper lead placement and device function on X-ray. Symptoms of breathlessness and fatigue often improve significantly within weeks. Routine follow-up is needed to monitor device settings and battery status.

The Bentall procedure is performed for patients with combined disease of the aortic valve and aortic root, such as an aneurysm involving the root along with a diseased valve, often due to connective tissue disorders like Marfan syndrome. The surgeon replaces the diseased segment with a composite graft containing a prosthetic valve, and reimplants the coronary arteries into the new graft. This is major open-heart surgery performed under general anesthesia with cardiopulmonary bypass, typically lasting four to six hours. The first few days of recovery occur in intensive care with close hemodynamic monitoring. Full recovery takes six to eight weeks with a structured rehabilitation program. Lifelong follow-up imaging is required to monitor the graft and valve function.

Aortic valve replacement is performed when the aortic valve becomes severely narrowed (stenosis) or leaky (regurgitation), most commonly due to age-related calcification or congenital abnormality. It can be done through traditional open-heart surgery, where the diseased valve is removed and replaced with a mechanical or tissue valve, or through a minimally invasive catheter-based approach called TAVR in appropriate candidates. Open surgery is performed under general anesthesia using cardiopulmonary bypass and takes three to four hours. Recovery begins in intensive care before transfer to a regular ward for continued monitoring. Cardiac rehabilitation supports return to normal activity over six to eight weeks. Patients with mechanical valves require lifelong blood-thinning medication.