Jean & David Blechman Cardiac & Vascular Center

At NYU Langone’s Jean and David Blechman Cardiac and Vascular Center, home to the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, our interventional cardiologists use the most advanced, nonsurgical techniques to improve blood flow to the heart.

Our doctors use catheter-based treatments to open arteries blocked by coronary artery disease. A catheter is a long, thin, narrow tube that is inserted in a vein or artery in the arm or leg and advanced to the site of the blockage. Once there, the doctor either uses angioplasty, in which a balloon is inflated to gently move aside plaque to open the artery, or atherectomy, a procedure to remove the plaque that is causing the blockage. In most cases, your doctor then places a stent in the artery, creating a scaffolding to keep the artery open.

Treatments at the Blechman Cardiac and Vascular Center can be lifesaving if performed during a heart attack, or life sustaining when used to open a blocked artery. By using minimally invasive techniques, our doctors provide treatment that does not require a large incision or general anesthesia. This reduces recovery time and limits discomfort. Our interventional cardiology team uses the latest innovations and develops methods to treat patients with the most complex coronary disease.