Cardiology

An artificial heart valve is a genuinely handmade work, a true masterpiece of doctor and scientist work. These implants, which are created by long and painstaking effort, save lives when one's own organ ceases to perform its natural "gateway" function. Thanks to innovative techniques, an increasing number of patients can now benefit from heart valve surgery.

Coronary angioplasty and stenting is a method of treating coronary artery disease by restoring blood flow in the narrowed vessel that supplies blood to the heart. A heart catheterization is used to determine whether the procedure is indicated in each particular case.

When is cardiac catheterization necessary? What are the diagnostic and therapeutic uses of this method? Can coronarography be performed in all cases, or is a differentiated approach preferable? Leading German cardiologists answer all these questions in this article.