SERVICES
Interventional Paediatric Cardiology
Paediatric interventional cardiology is a medical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in children through minimally invasive procedures. For most paediatric patients, these techniques provide a safer and more effective alternative to open-heart surgery.
This specialty addresses both acquired and congenital heart diseases using catheter-based techniques. Procedures are conducted in specialised cardiac catheterisation laboratories equipped with advanced technology to optimise visualisation of cardiac structures. The primary advantages of this approach include:
- Reduced post-operative pain
- Quicker recovery rates
- Less invasive alternative to traditional surgery
- Fewer postoperative complications
Widely Performed Interventions in Paediatric Interventional Cardiology
- Closure of septal defects: Transcatheter closure is a minimally invasive procedure designed to seal small holes in the heart wall. Instead of open heart surgery, a thin catheter is guided through a blood vessel to deliver a closure device to the defect.
- Valvuloplasty: This procedure uses a high-pressure balloon to dilate a narrowed heart valve.
- Angioplasty: This minimally invasive intervention uses a catheter with a balloon at its tip to widen an abnormally narrow blood vessel.
- Arrhythmia treatment addresses abnormal heart rhythms in children. During an electrophysiology study, minimally invasive techniques can identify and target the tissue causing arrhythmia. For example, catheter ablation for tachycardia uses a catheter to eliminate abnormal tissue with heat or cold.
Clinical and Interventional Paediatric Cardiology
Interventional cardiology adheres to strict guidelines and protocols to ensure optimal care for paediatric patients with heart disease. Each procedure is performed with precision and attention to patient safety and comfort.
Clinical and interventional paediatric cardiology are complementary disciplines that together provide comprehensive care from diagnosis through recovery. Clinical paediatric cardiology focuses on non-operative evaluation and management of heart disease in children, utilizing pharmacological therapy for conditions such as arrhythmia, pulmonary hypertension, and heart failure. This approach is essential for determining the need for interventional cardiology.