A general cardiologist specializes in diagnosing and managing a wide range of heart conditions through medications, lifestyle recommendations, and non-invasive tests like ECG, echocardiography, and stress tests. In contrast, an interventional cardiologist is trained to perform invasive procedures such as angioplasty, stenting, and catheter-based treatments to manage conditions like blocked arteries and structural heart diseases.
Angioplasty and stenting are recommended when a patient has narrowed or blocked coronary arteries that restrict blood flow to the heart muscle. This procedure is typically advised in cases of acute heart attack, chronic chest pain (angina), or after a stress test or angiogram shows significant blockage. It helps restore normal blood flow and prevent further cardiac events.
Heart disease is diagnosed using tests like ECG, echocardiogram, stress test, blood tests, and coronary angiography. Treatment depends on the type and severity of the condition and may include:
A cancer surgeon, also known as a surgical oncologist, plays a vital role in diagnosing, staging, and treating cancer. They perform surgical procedures to remove tumors, assess the extent of disease, and sometimes take tissue samples (biopsies) for further evaluation. In many cases, surgery forms the first line of treatment in conjunction with chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Recovery time depends on the type of surgery, patient’s overall health, and presence of complications. Minor surgeries may require only a few days to recover, while major surgeries could take several weeks to months. Postoperative care, physiotherapy, and follow-up treatment like chemotherapy or radiation can also influence recovery duration.
Yes, minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgeries are increasingly being used in both cancer and cardiac treatments. These techniques involve smaller incisions, reduced pain, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery.
In cardiology, procedures like robotic-assisted bypass surgery and valve repair are now options in selected patients.
In oncology, laparoscopic and robotic surgeries are commonly used for prostate, gynecological, colorectal, and kidney cancers.