Wir überwinden Grenzen

The 300,000th cardiac catheterization was performed at the University Heart Center on the Bad Krozingen campus at the end of March

A thin, flexible plastic tube can pave the way for fast and reliable diagnoses and treatment: During a cardiac catheterization, heart specialists get a precise picture of the condition of the coronary arteries and heart chambers. On Friday, 25 March 2022, Prof. Dr. Franz-Josef Neumann, Medical Director of the Department of Cardiology and Angiology II at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg, performed the 300,000th cardiac catheter and vascular examination at the Bad Krozingen site. "This high number of examinations shows the great experience from which our patients benefit," says Neumann. "I am proud of the joint efforts of our physicians, nursing staff and medical-technical staff in the cardiac catheterization laboratories." The anniversary procedure was also Neumann's last cardiac catheterization before he retires on April 1, 2022. The patient was discharged home on the same day.

The University Heart Center is one of Germany's leaders in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease and is also one of the most experienced heart centers in Europe. At the Bad Krozingen campus alone, around 11,000 patients a year are examined and treated in the ten cardiac catheterization laboratories on the heart and peripheral arteries. During the minimally invasive procedure, a thin plastic tube is carefully inserted into the bloodstream and advanced to the heart or peripheral vessels in fine movements under X-ray control. This makes it possible to determine whether a blood vessel is blocked or dangerously narrowed or whether a heart valve is not functioning properly. During the examination, treatment is sometimes possible at the same time: physicians use a balloon inserted via the catheter to widen narrowed areas and can also insert a stent to keep the vessel open. The cardiologists at the University Heart Center also have a great deal of expertise in the insertion of artificial heart valves using the minimally invasive catheter-based TAVI procedure, with more than 500 procedures a year.

Picture caption: The medical team in the cardiac catheterization laboratories are delighted about the 300,000th cardiac catheterization procedure. From left to right: Dr. Christian Valina, Dr. Thomas Comberg, Prof. Dr. Franz-Josef Neumann, Dr. Jürgen Rothe, Dr. Elias Noory
Image source: Medical Center - University of Freiburg