Cardiac Catheterization

Overview

What is Cardiac Catheterization?

In cardiac catheterization (often abbreviated as cardiac cath), a very small hollow tube, or catheter, is advanced from a blood vessel in the groin through the aorta into the heart. Once the catheter is in place, several diagnostic techniques may be used. The tip of the catheter can be placed into various parts of the heart to measure the pressure within the chambers. The catheter can be advanced into the coronary arteries and a dye injected into the arteries. By the use of fluoroscopy (a special type of x-ray), the physician can tell where any blockages in the coronary arteries are located as the dye moves through the arteries. A small sample of heart tissue can be obtained (called a biopsy) during the procedure to be examined later under the microscope for abnormalities.

You are awake during the procedure, although you will receive a small amount of sedating medication prior to the procedure.

Due to advances in knowledge, technology, and techniques, cardiac cath is often performed on an outpatient basis, meaning that the procedure is done early in the day and you may go home the same day. However, catheterization may be done on patients who are already hospitalized and thus will remain in the hospital after the procedure. Also, some patients who were at home before the procedure may be admitted to the hospital after the procedure in certain circumstances such as the occurrence of complications during or after the procedure, balloon angioplasty done during the procedure, or other reasons.

Reasons for the Procedure

Your physician may schedule you for a cardiac catheterization if you have recently had an episode(s) of one or more of the following cardiac symptoms:

• chest pain
• shortness of breath
• dizziness
• fatigue

Also, if a screening examination such as an EKG suggests a possibility of some type of heart disease process that needs to be explored further , a cardiac cath may be ordered by your physician.

Other reasons for the cath procedure include evaluation of myocardial perfusion (blood flow to the heart muscle) after the following:

• heart attack
  
  
• heart bypass surgery
  
  
• coronary angioplasty (the opening of a coronary artery using a balloon or other method)
  
  
• stent (a tiny expandable metal coil placed inside the artery to keep the artery open) placement

There may be other reasons for your physician to recommend a cardiac catheterization.

Risks of the Procedure

Possible risks associated with of cardiac catheterization include, but are not limited to, the following:

• bleeding at the catheter insertion site (usually the groin, but the arm may be used in certain circumstances)
  
  
• blood clot or damage to the blood vessel at the insertion site
  
  
• stroke (brain attack) or heart attack due to dislodging of a plaque into the blood circulation during the procedure (rare occurrence)
  
  
• infection at the catheter insertion site
  
  
• pneumothorax (collapsed lung) due to misplaced catheter
  
  
• allergic reaction to the dye
  
  
• kidney failure related to the dye
  
  
• cardiac dysrhythmias

In addition, cardiac catheterization should not be performed on a woman who is pregnant or thinks she may be pregnant.

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