Cardiac Catheterization Lab

Cardiac catheterization done in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab is a non-sedating and minimally invasive procedure using a very thin and flexible tube, called a catheter, for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. It is not considered as a surgical procedure and only uses local anesthesia at the site of insertion, therefore patients who undergo cardiac catheterization tend to recover quickly, with little to no wound. Diagnostic purposes will require patients to be admitted to the hospital for 1 night, while treatment purposes such as repairing heart defects or angioplasty with stent placement will require patients to be admitted to the hospital for 1-3 nights, for close observation. Patients who wish to undergo cardiac catheterization can inquire their physicians about details of the procedure as well as risks involved prior to making the decision.

Cardiac Catheterization Lab procedures include:

1. Coronary angiogram using dye and x-ray to diagnose and detect any abnormalities in the vessels of the heart and treatments such as stent placement, balloon angioplasty, heart valve dilation, and clot removal via suction.

Coronary angiogram can treat:

• Coronary artery disease and blocked vessels
• Carotid artery disease
• Renal artery disease caused by high blood pressure or kidney diseases
• Peripheral artery disease in diabetic patients

2. Diagnosis and treatment of heart’s electrical system malfunction such as:

• Advanced 3D Cardiac Mapping
• Cardiac Radiofrequency Ablation
• Pacemaker implantation
• Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) insertion
• Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy