Concierge cardiology · UK
Interventional cardiology in the UK, by a consultant interventionalist.
Three decades in, catheter‑based cardiac care has quietly replaced most of what used to need a sternotomy. Coronary stents, TAVI, MitraClip, LAAC and ablations — done properly, in a proper cath lab, by a BCIS‑accredited consultant.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A consultant interventional cardiologist, in a proper cath lab
Not a general cardiologist and not a training list. A named BCIS-accredited interventionalist, a hybrid or cath lab, and the anaesthetic team you would want if things got interesting.
- 02
Physiology and imaging on every case that needs it
FFR, iFR or RFR pressure wires and IVUS or OCT intracoronary imaging — used to decide whether to stent at all, and to make sure the stent is properly deployed.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no hospital group, so the recommendation between medical therapy, PCI, TAVI or surgery is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What private interventional cardiology costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across HCA, Nuffield, Cromwell and Bupa Cromwell. Send the details and we quote firm figures across two or three options.
In short
A single‑vessel PCI in our network: £8,000–£14,000, typically one night in.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic coronary angiography | £3,500–£6,000 | 30–45 min | Same‑day discharge |
| PCI (single vessel, DES) | £8,000–£14,000 | 60–90 min | Overnight stay |
| Complex PCI (LM, bifurcation, CTO, IVL) | £14,000–£25,000 | 2–4 hours | 1–2 nights |
| TAVI (transcatheter aortic valve) | £30,000–£50,000 | 90–150 min | 1–3 nights |
| MitraClip / PASCAL (mitral TEER) | £28,000–£45,000 | 2–3 hours | 1–3 nights |
| Left atrial appendage closure (Watchman FLX) | £18,000–£28,000 | 60–90 min | Overnight stay |
| EP study and ablation (AF, SVT, VT) | £15,000–£30,000 | 2–4 hours | 1–2 nights |
| Consultation with an interventionalist | £250–£500 | 30–45 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by hospital group, by which interventionalist does the case, by device (single vs multiple stents, valve type), and by whether physiology, imaging or mechanical support is used. NHS pathways cover the same procedures at no cost when clinically indicated. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The problem
The right operator, the right procedure, the right lab.
Modern cardiac care can look like a menu of miracles — PCI, TAVI, MitraClip, LAAC, ablation. The hard part is knowing which one is actually indicated, and who should do it. We do that bit for you.
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Stent, TAVI or surgery?
A heart‑team view — interventional plus surgical plus imaging — before you commit. Not just the opinion of whoever you saw first.
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Volume matters,
For TAVI, complex PCI, structural and ablation work, operator volume is the strongest predictor of outcome. We know who does what, and how often.
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Physiology, not just pictures
A tight‑looking coronary lesion is not always a lesion that needs stenting — FFR, iFR, IVUS or OCT decide, and our network uses them.
The journey
From enquiry to recovery — what happens, in order.
One clinician from first message to review — including the medication and cardiac rehab plan afterwards.
Phase 1 · Before your procedure
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · On the day
A few hours in the cath lab
Phase 3 · After
Concierge, back on
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. Symptoms, cardiac history, imaging or angiograms already done, and any medications — especially anticoagulants.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: the right investigation or intervention, the right operator, an indicative price. If a heart‑team discussion is needed before stenting, we say so.
- 03
Before
We arrange the admission
Usually within one to three weeks for elective work. Antiplatelets, anticoagulants and diabetes medication are reviewed and you are told exactly how to prepare.
- 04
On the day
Arrival at the cath lab
Admission, consent and a briefing with the interventionalist and anaesthetic team. Radial‑first access under local, with sedation to taste.
- 05
On the day
The procedure itself
30 to 90 minutes for a diagnostic angiogram or standard PCI; 90 to 180 minutes for TAVI, TEER, LAAC or complex PCI. Continuous monitoring throughout.
- 06
On the day
Recovery on the ward
A few hours flat for femoral, an hour or two sitting up for radial. Overnight stay for TAVI, LAAC and complex work; same‑day discharge for many diagnostic cases.
- 07
After
Recovery and review
Dual antiplatelet therapy for six to twelve months after stenting; a review with the interventionalist at four to six weeks, and cardiac rehab where indicated.
Typical end-to-end: 1–3 weeks from enquiry to elective procedure. Recovery: days for PCI/TAVI, 2–3 months to full cardiac fitness.
When it helps
When interventional cardiology is the right step.
The clinical pictures we see most, and the one red flag that means an ambulance rather than an appointment.
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Stable angina
Chest tightness on exertion that limits daily life despite medical therapy — angiography with FFR to decide whether PCI helps.
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Acute coronary syndrome (STEMI/NSTEMI)
STEMI is a same‑day primary PCI emergency via NHS pathway; NSTEMI is worked up urgently for invasive angiography within 72 hours per NICE NG185.
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Severe aortic stenosis
Breathlessness, syncope or angina from a tight aortic valve — TAVI increasingly preferred over surgery for elderly and intermediate‑risk patients.
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Severe mitral regurgitation
Symptomatic MR unsuitable for surgery — MitraClip or PASCAL edge‑to‑edge repair reduces regurgitation and symptoms.
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Atrial fibrillation with bleeding risk
AF where anticoagulation is contraindicated or causing bleeding — LAAC (Watchman FLX, Amulet) closes the appendage and removes stroke risk without warfarin or DOACs.
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AF, SVT or VT for ablation
Symptomatic arrhythmia unresponsive to drugs — catheter ablation restores rhythm and reduces or removes medication.
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PFO, ASD or VSD
A hole in the heart causing cryptogenic stroke, right‑to‑left shunt or symptoms — device closure in the cath lab, no sternotomy required.
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Red flag: crushing chest pain now
Chest pain with sweating, breathlessness or arm/jaw pain lasting more than a few minutes is a 999 call — not a clinic booking.
Procedure options
What the modern cath lab actually does.
Coronary, structural and electrophysiology — all through catheters, all in the same UK lab environment.
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Coronary angiography
The diagnostic map. Contrast injected through a radial or femoral catheter shows every narrowing in the coronary arteries in real time.
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PCI with drug‑eluting stent
Balloon angioplasty and stent deployment through a catheter to open a narrowed coronary artery — for stable angina, NSTEMI or as primary PCI in STEMI.
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Complex PCI (LM, bifurcation, CTO)
Left‑main, bifurcation, calcified or chronic total occlusion PCI using intravascular lithotripsy, rotational atherectomy, or Impella/IABP mechanical support.
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Physiology and intracoronary imaging
FFR, iFR and RFR pressure wires plus IVUS or OCT — used to decide whether a lesion needs a stent, and to check the stent is properly seated.
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TAVI (transcatheter aortic valve)
A new aortic valve delivered through the groin — now the default in the UK for elderly and intermediate‑risk patients with severe aortic stenosis.
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MitraClip and TriClip (TEER)
Transcatheter edge‑to‑edge repair of the mitral or tricuspid valve using clips — for symptomatic regurgitation in patients unsuitable for surgery.
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LAAC (Watchman FLX, Amulet)
Left atrial appendage closure — a plug in the appendage removes the main source of stroke in AF, for patients who cannot tolerate anticoagulation. NICE TA732.
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EP study and ablation
Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation, SVT and VT — plus pacemaker, CRT, ICD and implantable loop recorder implantation in the same lab.
Deeper reading
Every sub‑specialty has its own page.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of interventionalists, we picked them.
BCIS‑accredited consultants across HCA, Nuffield, Cromwell and Bupa Cromwell in London, plus regional structural and EP centres. Not listed publicly — introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every interventionalist in our network.
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BCIS‑accredited consultant interventional cardiologists, high‑volume operators
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Structural work (TAVI, TEER, LAAC) done in units with heart‑team governance
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Radial‑first access as standard per UK BCIS 2018 guidance
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On‑site cardiothoracic surgery cover for complex PCI, TAVI and structural cases
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards — honestly.
Cath lab work is safer than the surgery it replaced, but it is not risk‑free. Serious complications — stroke, MI, tamponade, death — sit at 0.1–1% for standard PCI and rise with complexity.
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Radial access is the UK standard
Wrist access reduces bleeding, gets you sitting up sooner and mobilised faster than groin access — the BCIS default since 2018.
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Bleeding, bruising and haematoma
Small bruises at the wrist or groin are common; a significant haematoma is uncommon and the team is prepared to manage it.
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Contrast and the kidneys
Iodinated contrast can affect kidney function, especially with diabetes or existing renal impairment — bloods and hydration are planned in advance.
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Stroke and MI
Stroke is uncommon (well under 1% for PCI, around 2–3% for TAVI) and peri‑procedural MI is rare — imaging and physiology reduce both.
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Arrhythmia and tamponade
Transient rhythm changes are common and usually settle; cardiac tamponade is rare but the lab is set up to drain it immediately if it happens.
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Dual antiplatelet therapy after stents
Aspirin plus a P2Y12 inhibitor (clopidogrel, ticagrelor or prasugrel) for six to twelve months — do not stop early without cardiology advice.
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Recovery is quicker than surgery
Most cath lab cases go home the same day or after one night; TAVI patients are commonly home in 24–72 hours versus a week for SAVR.
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Cardiac rehab matters
Post‑PCI, post‑TAVI and post‑ablation patients benefit from supervised rehab, medication optimisation and lifestyle work — it changes outcomes.
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Red flags after any cath lab procedure
New severe chest pain, breathlessness at rest, a rapidly swelling groin or wrist, a cold hand, or fever — call the unit or 999 the same day.
Reading your procedure note
Your cath lab note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whether it was an angiogram, PCI, TAVI or ablation, the note the interventionalist sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Cath lab language is precise and can read coldly — we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication, access and equipment
Why you were in the lab — angina, ACS, aortic stenosis, AF — plus radial or femoral access, sheath size, catheters and any devices used.
- 02 Technique
What was found and what was done
Coronary anatomy with FFR/iFR values where measured, valve gradients, ablation lines, or device sizing — plus a description of the intervention itself.
- 03 Findings
Result, imaging and complications
Final angiographic result, IVUS/OCT stent optimisation, valve gradient after TAVI, appendage seal after LAAC, and any peri‑procedural events.
- 04 Impression
Medications, follow‑up, rehab
Read this first: DAPT duration, statin and beta‑blocker plan, echo timing, cardiac rehab referral and the date of your review.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Most private insurers cover interventional cardiology when medically indicated — angiography, PCI, TAVI, MitraClip, LAAC and ablation. We confirm cover before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about interventional cardiology.
Quick answers on PCI vs surgery, TAVI recovery, radial vs femoral, and what your antiplatelet plan should look like.
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What is interventional cardiology?
Interventional cardiology is the branch of cardiology that treats heart disease through catheters passed via the wrist or groin — coronary angiography and stenting (PCI), TAVI for aortic stenosis, MitraClip for mitral regurgitation, left atrial appendage closure for AF, and catheter ablation for arrhythmias. It has largely replaced open‑heart surgery for many conditions over the past three decades.
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What is the difference between a cardiologist and an interventional cardiologist?
A general cardiologist diagnoses and manages heart disease with medications, echocardiography and outpatient assessment. An interventional cardiologist is a BCIS‑accredited subspecialist who performs catheter‑based procedures — PCI, TAVI, structural interventions and, in the case of electrophysiologists, ablations and device implants.
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Is TAVI better than open aortic valve surgery?
For elderly and intermediate‑risk patients TAVI is now the UK default — recovery is measured in days rather than weeks, and randomised trials show non‑inferior or better outcomes. For younger low‑risk patients with a long life expectancy, surgical AVR with a mechanical valve is still often preferred. The heart team decides.
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How much does private interventional cardiology cost in the UK?
Roughly £3,500–£6,000 for diagnostic angiography, £8,000–£14,000 for a single‑vessel PCI with drug‑eluting stent, £30,000–£50,000 for TAVI, £28,000–£45,000 for MitraClip/PASCAL, £18,000–£28,000 for LAAC, and £15,000–£30,000 for complex EP ablation. Most private insurers cover medically indicated work — we confirm cover before booking.
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Radial or femoral access — which is better?
Radial (wrist) is the UK default per BCIS 2018 guidance: less bleeding, faster mobilisation and a lower complication rate. Femoral (groin) is still needed for TAVI, large‑bore mechanical support (Impella, IABP) and some structural work.
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How long do I stay in hospital after PCI or TAVI?
A diagnostic angiogram is usually same‑day discharge. An elective PCI is typically one night. TAVI is commonly 24–72 hours; LAAC and complex EP work is one to two nights. Complex PCI can be one to two nights depending on what was done.
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Do I have to take blood thinners forever after a stent?
You will need dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin plus clopidogrel, ticagrelor or prasugrel) for six to twelve months after a drug‑eluting stent, then usually aspirin alone lifelong. Do not stop antiplatelets early without asking your cardiologist — stent thrombosis is a medical emergency.
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When should I call 999 rather than book a clinic appointment?
Crushing central chest pain lasting more than a few minutes, especially with sweating, breathlessness, or pain radiating to the arm or jaw, is a 999 call — do not drive yourself, do not book a clinic. STEMI is treated with primary PCI within hours in every UK region.
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