Interventional Cardiology

Starr Regional Medical Center's experienced heart catheterization team performs procedures using balloons, stents and other devices to open blocked or repair damaged blood vessels of the heart or body. This often avoids the need for heart surgery.

Heart conditions can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke or loss of limbs.

Common treatable conditions include:

• • • Coronary artery disease (narrowing of the coronary arteries)
    • Heart valve disease
    • Peripheral vascular disease

Procedures and treatments offered:

• • • Diagnostic imaging and pressure measurements
    • Balloon angioplasty
    • Clot extraction
    • Fractional flow reserve measurements
    • Intra-arterial ultrasound
    • Temporary pacemaker insertion
    • Stent insertion
    • Intra-aortic balloon pump/circulatory assist device insertion

Quality Heart Care, Close to Home

Starr Regional Medical Center celebrated the opening of its new 2,500 square foot, $5.4 million cardiac catheterization (cath) lab on Thursday, April 13, 2023. The cardiac cath lab and launching of an interventional cardiology program at Starr Regional means greater access to life-saving heart care in McMinn County.

The providers and technology within the cardiac cath lab diagnose and provide treatment for heart blockages and other cardiac conditions without a commute. Starr Regional Medical Center is the only facility within 30 miles of its campuses to offer these services, allowing more patients the ability to receive this important care closer to home.

Another milestone in Starr Regional Medical Center's efforts to improve cardiac services available in our community, was the successful completion of the first heart stent (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention or PCI) performed by Interventional Cardiologist S. Abbas Agha, MD, at Starr Regional Medical Center on Thursday, December 28, 2023. PCI is a procedure that uses a catheter to place a stent to open up narrowed or blocked sections of an artery in the heart. Congratulations to Dr. Agha and the Cardiac Cath Lab team on this accomplishment.