Our Interventional Cardiology program was created on April 29, 1989, when Dr. Brian Anderson performed our first percutaneous coronary intervention (angioplasty) at Mercy Hospital. Since then, the program has steadily grown into one of the largest in the Twin Cities area, averaging over 1,000 coronary interventions per year as a group.
Our team includes six interventional cardiologists with over 75 years of clinical experience. Our goal is to quickly and capably help patients during heart attacks or other cardiac emergencies. In fact, our door to balloon time, which measures the time it takes from the moment a patient arrives at the hospital to the time the heart artery is opened with an angioplasty, is consistently better the recommended guidelines.

In addition, MHVI offers treatment for certain congenital heart disorders (i.e. atrial septal defect or patent foramen ovale) by using implantable devices which can circumvent the need for open heart surgery. We are also active in clinical research, delivering the most up to date therapies and devices available.

The Electrophysiology / Arrhythmia service at Metropolitan Heart and Vascular Institute delivers the latest in diagnostic evaluations and therapeutic offerings for heart rhythm management.  These include pacemaker and defibrillator implantation, cardiac resynchronization to treat congestive heart failure, tilt table studies, electrophysiology studies, and catheter ablation for arrhythmias.  MHVI offers an excellent cardiac rhythm device program for patients with primary arrhythmia, genetic disorders, and congestive heart failure, who require or benefit from ongoing device therapy.   We are engaged in clinical research trials to deliver cutting edge device therapy to our patients.  We have an active catheter ablation program to treat heart rhythm conditions such as atrial fibrillation and flutter, supraventricular tachycardias, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, ventricular tachycardia, and other complex arrhythmias that may sometimes be difficult to treat with conventional medical therapies.

Patients today are part of a healthcare system that is evolving rapidly and is in the midst of a remarkable technological expansion in cardiovascular diagnostics and therapeutics.  This is especially true in the field of electrophysiology and heart rhythm management.  Our arrhythmia specialists at MHVI help patients and their families to understand their rhythm issues and assist them in sorting out the multitude of therapeutic modalities available to them, which include pharmacologic, device, catheter-ablation, and surgical therapies.  At MHVI we provide state-of-the-art, patient-centered care that is delivered with quality, proximity, and personal attention.  This means that patients treated with a biventricular defibrillator for advanced congestive heart failure or complex catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation can receive their pre-procedure care and post-procedure follow up close to their home, by providers who know them well.  Patients and their families who choose MHVI expect and receive not just clinical expertise, but continuity and familiarity from their heart rhythm providers and proceduralists.

Cardiac Rhythm Device Clinic
Atrial Fibrillation Clinic

At MHVI, we offer state-of-the-art diagnosis and comprehensive treatment for patients with peripheral vascular disease. Our cardiologists and vascular surgeons work closely with patients to provide the most appropriate treatment, and perform minimally invasive endovascular procedures that offer excellent outcomes and rapid recovery.

MHVI is one of the leading institutions in the metropolitan area in the evaluation and treatment of peripheral vascular disease. We are also active in clinical research and have the most recent technological advancements in the field available for your care. Drs. Dulas, Akef and Lee together with their team of health care providers, are looking forward to working with you to help you learn and understand your medical condition, treat your illness and improve your health and quality of life.

MHVI, through the participation of Twin Cities Heart and Lung, offers a full spectrum of services and treatments, including coronary artery bypass surgery, valve replacement surgery, aneurysm repair, surgical treatment of carotid artery disease, as well as surgery for the treatment for atrial fibrillation. In addition, we offer minimally invasive thoracic surgery for patients who are considered appropriate candidates. Twin Cities Heart and Lung leads the Twin Cities in utilizing minimally invasive and robotically assisted approaches to both heart and lung conditions. Our team of surgeons will work closely with your cardiologists and primary care physician to make sure you receive the best, most coordinated care possible.

Cardiovascular surgeons at MHVI have built Mercy Hospital into one of the top 50 heart-bypass surgery programs in the United States. This is an achievement recognized by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons based on excellence in clinical outcomes. Published in Consumer Reports magazine, this information is derived from a database available to consumers searching for the best-ranked health care services.