Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac catheterization is performed by pediatric cardiologists with training in interventional procedures. During cardiac catheterization, doctors use a thin, spaghetti-like plastic tubing and maneuver it using x-ray imaging to the heart. While in the heart, pressures and oxygen content of the blood is obtained. Dye is also injected at this time to get a video image of the heart and how it's functioning.

Cardiac catheterization was originally, and, to a certain extent continues to be, a procedure intended to provide diagnosis or better understanding of the heart disease. However, more increasingly, cardiac catheterization is used for the purpose of providing therapy by enlarging narrow valves or vessels or closing abnormal holes. A cardiac catheterization procedure typically takes only one to three hours, and patients are often able to go home the same day. No stitches are required, and there is no visible scarring. In most cases, patients can return to normal activities the following day.

At the Center for Congenital and Structural Heart Diseases at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago pediatric cardiologists are treating a wide range of heart problems in the catheterization laboratory, thus preventing the need for surgical intervention. Our pediatric interventional cardiologists are physicians who specialize in catheterization treatment procedures and are internationally renowned leaders in this field. All available techniques in the field of interventional pediatric cardiology are available at our center. Many of these procedures were invented, modified or tested by our cardiologists. Currently, our team is involved in a number of examining and fine tuning a number of new procedures, such as inserting new valves without surgery or occluding cardiac defects in hard to reach areas.

Return to the Center for Congenital and Structural Heart Diseases home page.