Best Hospitals for Atherosclerosis treatment in Italy 2026

San Donato Hospital and Maria Cecilia Hospital are top Italian centers for atherosclerosis. These facilities specialize in interventional cardiology and vascular surgery. They utilize Joint Commission International standards and IRCCS research accreditations. Milan and Bologna serve as primary hubs for complex endovascular procedures.

• San Donato Hospital: Performs 9,400 cardiovascular operations annually in Milan.
• Maria Cecilia Hospital: Handles over 15% of all major cardiac surgeries in Italy.
• San Raffaele Hospital: Conducts 52,000 annual operations within a major European research hub.
• Expert surgical staff: Dr. Carlo Savini specializes in minimally invasive and aortic restorative surgery.

Bookimed Expert Insight: While San Donato Hospital leads in procedure volume with 9,400 annual operations, Maria Cecilia Hospital offers a unique multidisciplinary Heart Team. This collaborative approach combines cardiologists and surgeons. Our data shows this structure is vital for complex atherosclerosis cases involving multiple arterial sites.

Patient Consensus: Patients recommend traveling to northern Italian centers like Milan or Bologna. They emphasize finding hospitals that house vascular surgery and interventional cardiology in one location.

Italian centers report high technical success rates between 91.9% and 98.5% for vascular plaque-removal procedures. Success depends on the specific approach, such as surgical endarterectomy or endovascular debulking. Facilities like San Donato Hospital perform over 9,400 cardiac operations annually with specialized cardiovascular expertise.

• Carotid success: Multicenter Italian studies report 96.9% to 98.5% immediate procedural success rates.
• Long-term protection: Italian cohorts demonstrate 98.6% freedom from plaque restenosis over 24 months.
• Coronary outcomes: High-volume centers achieve 91.9% clinical success for complex rotational atherectomy procedures.
• Safety metrics: Major adverse cardiac events remain low at 4.7% for most complex cases.

Bookimed Expert Insight: Italian cardiac care is highly concentrated in specialized clusters. Maria Cecilia Hospital handles 15% of the country's entire cardiac surgery volume. This massive caseload allows surgeons to maintain technical success rates exceeding 93% even for complex total occlusions. Choosing these high-volume hubs in Milan or Bologna generally ensures access to the most experienced surgical teams.

Patient Consensus: Patients note that technical success in the operating room must be paired with clear long-term follow-up plans. Many emphasize that a surgeon's ability to explain restenosis risks is more important than general clinic statistics.

Advanced technologies remove calcified plaque through minimally invasive catheter-based procedures like intravascular lithotripsy and atherectomy. These techniques use sonic shockwaves or mechanical ablation to fracture hardened deposits. This occurs through small incisions in the wrist or groin. These methods avoid traditional open surgery.

• Intravascular lithotripsy: Emits acoustic shockwaves to fracture deep calcium while preserving soft arterial tissue.
• Rotational atherectomy: Uses a diamond-coated burr spinning at 140,000+ RPM to grind plaque.
• Orbital atherectomy: Employs a rotating crown to sand away plaque using centrifugal force safely.
• Laser atherectomy: Delivers high-energy ultraviolet pulses to vaporize calcified blockages and restore flow.

Bookimed Expert Insight: Italian centers like Maria Cecilia Hospital demonstrate advanced specialization by performing over 15% of the country's cardiac surgeries. Our data shows hospitals in the GVM network often use a multidisciplinary Heart Team approach. Surgeons like Prof. Giuseppe Speziale focus on combining these technologies with minimally invasive valve repairs. This high-volume expertise typically ensures better outcomes for complex calcified lesions than general surgical centers.

Patient Consensus: Patients note it is important to ask if the team uses lithotripsy specifically for heavy calcium. They emphasize confirming a backup plan in case the artery requires more than a standard balloon.

Italian researchers at the University of Milan are developing a localized gene therapy using the phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) enzyme. This biological method pulls cholesterol from arterial walls and transfers it to the liver. Early preclinical models show a 40% reduction in arterial plaque volume within three months.

• Enzyme function: PLTP acts as a natural extraction system for cholesterol removal.
• Biological mechanism: Targeted gene therapy boosts PLTP levels directly within local arterial walls.
• Arterial stability: Treatment aims to widen narrowed arteries while preventing future wall ruptures.
• Dental innovation: New decontamination gels and fatty acid rinses offer bio-compatible dental plaque control.

Bookimed Expert Insight: Research activity in Italy is highly concentrated in IRCCS-accredited centers like San Donato Hospital and San Raffaele. These institutions are legally mandated by the Italian Ministry of Health to combine clinical care with active research. Patients seeking advanced atherosclerosis management benefit from this dual focus. For example, Maria Cecilia Hospital handles over 15% of Italy's complex cardiac surgeries through its multidisciplinary heart team.

Patient Consensus: Patients note that research focus often shifts between slowing plaque progression and true removal. Many emphasize the need to distinguish between early-stage laboratory findings and treatments currently available in clinics.

Atherosclerosis treatment in Italy is highly accessible for international patients through established private medical networks. Major centers in Milan, Bologna, and Rome provide advanced cardiovascular care. Facilities like San Donato Hospital manage over 9,400 cardiac operations annually. These institutions offer specialized international departments for coordination.

• Specialized techniques: Clinics offer therapeutic apheresis and LDL apheresis for cholesterol management.
• Advanced credentials: Maria Cecilia Hospital is JCI-accredited and performs 15% of Italian cardiac surgeries.
• Expert surgeons: Prof. Giuseppe Speziale serves as the National Coordinator of Cardiac Surgery.
• Logistical support: Major hospitals provide official documentation for medical visas and local transfers.

Bookimed Expert Insight: Italian cardiovascular care is concentrated in the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions. Group GVM Care Research facilities like Maria Cecilia Hospital often provide more comprehensive multidisciplinary Heart Teams than smaller clinics. This structure ensures that cardiologists, surgeons, and anesthesiologists coordinate directly on complex arterial cases.

Patient Consensus: Patients emphasize that choosing private healthcare is the fastest way to avoid long waiting lists. They note that having clear diagnostic scans and medication lists ready before travel simplifies the consultation process.