FAQ
Practical questions patients and families ask before booking a second opinion or complex PCI consultation.
These answers are general information for patients in Melbourne and Victoria. Your interventional cardiologist will advise what is suitable for your anatomy and health cover.
A Chronic Total Occlusion is a coronary artery that has been completely blocked for three months or longer. Dedicated CTO PCI specialists can reopen many of these vessels using advanced wire techniques, often without open-heart bypass surgery.
In carefully selected patients, yes. Melbourne Complex Cardiac Intervention Centre specialises in CTO PCI and complex coronary stenting using Shockwave lithotripsy, rotablation, and IVUS/OCT imaging so many patients can avoid or delay open-heart surgery.
If you hold Silver or Gold hospital cover that includes Heart and vascular system, complex coronary procedures in private hospitals are typically covered for theatre, hospital stay, and most specialist fees, subject to your policy, excess, and waiting periods. Known-gap or no-gap arrangements may be available.
The centre is led by Dr Nilesh Mehta and A/Prof M Asrar ul Haq, interventional cardiologists focused exclusively on complex and CTO coronary intervention at leading Melbourne private hospitals.
Consultations and procedures are offered across leading Melbourne private hospitals including Melbourne Private Hospital, St Vincent’s Private Hospital, Epworth Richmond, and Cabrini Malvern.
Consider a second opinion if you were told stents are impossible due to calcium or a chronic occlusion, if bypass was presented as the only option, if a prior procedure was incomplete, or if angina still limits your life despite medication.
Intravascular lithotripsy uses sonic pressure waves delivered through a balloon catheter to fracture hard calcium in coronary arteries so stents can expand safely and evenly. It is used for heavily calcified lesions in complex PCI.
Most complex PCI procedures are performed via the wrist. Many patients go home the same or next day, with a much shorter recovery than open bypass surgery, though individual recovery depends on anatomy, heart function, and overall health.
Request a second opinion or consultation — send your angiogram for specialist review.
