Our Program

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women. More than 610,000 Americans die of heart disease each year — which equals 1 in 4 deaths. These include strokes, ruptured aneurysms and heart attacks. It is the mission of the USC CardioVascular Thoracic Institute (CVTI) to not only treat cardiovascular disease, but to successfully prevent it and rehabilitate those patients with a history of cardiovascular issues. Our physicians, researchers and dedicated team are committed to offering leading-edge interventions, research and treatments.

USC CVTI at Keck Medicine of USC includes several invasive and noninvasive procedure laboratories. Our experienced interventional cardiologists use our well-equipped, modern interventional cardiac catheterization laboratory (commonly known as a “cath lab”) with a support team that can manage many different types of patients requiring interventional procedures. New therapies for the prevention of restenosis (the re-narrowing of a blood vessel), including local radiation therapy and local drug administration are available.

The interventional cardiology program offers:

• Balloon angioplasty
• Rotoblator
• DCA
• TEC atherectomy
• Laser angioplasty
• Stent placement
• Balloon valvuloplasty for aortic stenosis
• Pulmonic stenosis
• Mitral stenosis
• Coarctation of the aorta
• Pacemakers — Implant studies, ablation

In addition to treating patients, we also offer preventative services. This program incorporates the services of the Cardiovascular Health and Lipid Center, which evaluates patients who have special needs in the treatment of hyperlipidemia (the presence of excessive fats in the bloodstream, including cholesterol). The program also provides primary screening for patients without known heart disease to determine if significant risk factors for atherosclerosis are present.

Our Approach

Our multidisciplinary approach allows CVTI specialists to leverage their broad and deep expertise toward making superior treatment decisions for each patient. This allows everyone to provide individualized care with the most advanced technologies and therapies. It has led to excellent outcomes and patient experiences, both of which continue to improve. Procedures are supported by state-of-the-art screening tests, diagnostic imaging technologies and innovative non-invasive therapies.

Our preventive cardiologists utilize a uniquely developed measurement of atherosclerosis that has been developed by the USC Atherosclerosis Research Institute. We also offer our patients the opportunity to enter into a continual monitoring program that involves lipid lowering, control of hypertension, cigarette smoking cessation, exercise training and counseling.

Our Physicians