Parkwest Medical Center is a heartbeat ahead in cardiovascular services. Named as one of the nation's top 100 cardiovascular hospitals seven times of the award’s eight-year history, we offer a full cardiovascular service line that includes Coronary Bypass surgery, diagnostic and interventional cardiac procedures.

Parkwest offers a complete continuum of heart care from prevention efforts (education, exercise programs, diet and stress management) to early detection, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation, using the most complete and advanced range of technologies and healing protocols available in East Tennessee.

Invasive Cardiovascular Laboratory
Location: First floor, Riverstone
Phone: 373-1335

The Cardiovascular Laboratory includes five procedure labs for diagnostic and interventional cardiac procedures, pacemaker and internal cardiac defibrillators, and diagnostic and interventional electrophysiology procedures. There is also a comprehensive lab for diagnostic and interventional peripheral vascular procedures, family consultation rooms, a six-bay holding area, and four physician reading rooms.

Procedures include: left heart catheterization, right heart catheterization, cardiac biopsy, temporary pacemaker insertion, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, stent procedures, Rotablator, Pressure wire doppler, Cutting Balloon, electrophysiology studies and ablations, peripheral procedures, closure device, intra-aortic balloon pump insertion, pericardiocentesis, cardioversion, peripheral athrectomy and carotid stenting. After-hours emergency cases are handled by on-call coverage available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Carotid Artery Disease - with advancements in the realm of peripheral vascular studies, we now offer an alternative to traditional surgery for treatment of carotid disease, the placement of carotid stents.

What Is A Cardiac Catheterization?
A cardiac catheterization is a procedure using small catheters in a x-ray room to evaluate the arteries on a patient's heart.

What Happens If I Have A Blocked Coronary Artery?
Your cardiologist will work with you to decide the best and safest treatment for your blockage. Many blockages can be treated in the cath lab with the interventional tools we have available. Stents, rotational atherectomy, angiojet and intravascular ultrasound are some of the technologies that the cardiologist can recommend.

Digital Cath Lab

Physicians Able to View Cardiac X-rays in Seconds
Physicians at Parkwest Medical Center can now better view and treat blocked coronary arteries with a new all-digital cardiovascular imaging system. The GE Innova™ 2100 is a revolutionary system that allows cardiologists to view hard-to-see blood vessels with exceptional clarity even under the most difficult conditions. In addition, Parkwest offers the GE Innova™ 3100 and 4100 for heart and peripheral studies.

The digital technology enables faster procedures, requires less radiation exposure, and allows physician to see details, especially balloons and stents, more clearly. The end result is that better images produce better patient care.

The Innova™ 2100, used in both diagnostic angiograms and angioplasty treatment studies, is equipped with a digital detector that reads x-rays passing through the patient's body. The detector creates an almost instantaneous image on a high-resolution monitor that can be viewed, networked, and archived electronically in a totally filmless fashion.

Cardiologists also can "zoom in" to look at important areas in greater detail, allowing them to make confident diagnoses and perform therapeutic interventions if required.