Editing Cardiology (section)

==== Interventional cardiology ====
{{Main|Interventional cardiology}}

Interventional cardiology is a branch of cardiology that deals specifically with the [[catheter]] based treatment of structural heart diseases.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=King |first=Spencer B |date=March 1998 |title=The Development of Interventional Cardiology |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/S0735-1097(97)00558-5 |journal=Journal of the American College of Cardiology |volume=31 |issue=4 |pages=64B–88B |doi=10.1016/s0735-1097(97)00558-5 |pmid=9530288 |issn=0735-1097|url-access=subscription }}</ref> A large number of procedures can be performed on the heart by catheterization, including angiogram, angioplasty, atherectomy, and stent implantation. These procedures all involve insertion of a sheath into the [[femoral artery]] or radial artery (but, in practice, any large peripheral artery or vein) and [[cannula]]ting the heart under {{Nowrap|X-ray}} visualization (most commonly [[fluoroscopy]]). This cannulation allows indirect access to the heart, bypassing the trauma caused by surgical opening of the chest.

The main advantages of using the interventional cardiology or radiology approach are the avoidance of the scars and pain, and long post-operative recovery. Additionally, interventional cardiology procedure of primary [[angioplasty]] is now the gold standard of care for an acute myocardial infarction. This procedure can also be done proactively, when areas of the vascular system become occluded from [[atherosclerosis]]. The Cardiologist will thread this sheath through the vascular system to access the heart. This sheath has a balloon and a tiny wire mesh tube wrapped around it, and if the cardiologist finds a blockage or [[stenosis]], they can inflate the balloon at the occlusion site in the vascular system to flatten or compress the plaque against the vascular wall. Once that is complete a [[stent]] is placed as a type of scaffold to hold the vasculature open permanently.