Interventional Cardiologist
Interventional cardiologist Dharam Kumbhani, M.D., doesn’t settle for the traditional treatment options available to patients with complex heart and vascular problems.
A specialist in cutting-edge minimally invasive procedures such as transradial angioplasty to treat coronary artery disease, valve repair for aortic stenosis, and stent-based interventions for patients with peripheral vascular disease, Dr. Kumbhani offers procedures that, while still rare at many U.S. hospitals, promise quicker recovery compared to standard methods.
“We can provide several state-of-the-art treatment options to our patients – especially patients who aren’t good candidates for open-heart surgery – with minimal recovery times,” he says.
For example, he performs transradial angioplasty, which uses a patient’s wrist instead of the groin as the incision point and has a much lower rate of bleeding and faster recovery time.
In addition, he is part of the transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) team at UT Southwestern Medical Center, which provides aortic valve replacement to patients without open surgery. TAVR offers a new option to many patients who aren’t surgical candidates and may otherwise not receive any treatment.
Dr. Kumbhani also sees patients with various cardiac structural abnormalities or defects, many of which may need a nonsurgical intervention. He cares for patients through his outpatient clinic, which serves patients with heart, valve, and vascular problems.
An epidemiologist as well as a cardiologist, Dr. Kumbhani has conducted wide-ranging research on quality of care and outcomes in patients with various heart and vascular problems. His research focus mirrors his clinical practice: He looks at care of patients with heart attack or chest pain, complex angioplasties, and peripheral vascular disease. He recently published research that was instrumental in highlighting the importance of medications such as statins in preventing repeat procedures and amputations in patients with peripheral vascular disease.
Dr. Kumbhani also offers minimally invasive, stent-based procedures to his peripheral vascular disease (PVD) patients to reduce pain and avoid amputation and invasive bypass surgeries.
“I enjoy my practice,” he says. “Seeing such a wide range of patients and working with a wide range of techniques allows me to stay up to date with the whole heart-care scene, not just a narrow facet of it.”
