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Cardiac catheterization is a procedure used to see inside of the heart. The process is done by inserting a thin tube into either the groin or neck called large bore or small bore, then threaded through the blood vessels until it reaches the heart. The catheter (tube) provides doctors with different tools to study and treat patients’ hearts.
Cardiac catheterization is done while the patient is sedated and given local anesthesia to numb the area where a cardiologist will make a small skin cut. Patients may feel pain during the catheter insertion into their blood vessels, but it usually goes away quickly after the procedure has started. Patients may also feel some chest pressure, but it too usually goes away quickly.
If you have any questions, you may talk to a Tomball cardiac catheterization specialist for more details.
Why Is It Done?
Cardiac catheterization can help diagnose and treat heart problems. Cardiac catheterization can be done to see how well your heart is working, including checking for blockages in the coronary arteries or other defects. Cardiac catheterization may also help determine what type of treatment you would benefit from most.
It can help identify problems such as:
- Heart attack
- Ventricular dysfunction (a problem with the small chambers on the lower left side of your heart)
- Valve disease and other problems in the coronary arteries, blood vessels that supply blood to your heart
- Congenital disabilities such as abnormal openings between two significant arteries or between a major highway and another vessel near your heart
- Pericardial disease (inflammation of the sac that surrounds your heart)
- Cardiac Tamponade (blood or fluid buildup around your heart)
What Are the Risks?
Cardiac catheterization is a relatively safe procedure. Complications are rare, but all procedures have some risk. Some of the potential dangers of this procedure include:
- Bleeding
- Injury to blood vessels or the lung if the catheter is inserted through a vein in your neck instead of your groin
- Allergic reaction to medication used during or after the procedure
- Risk of infection at the site where a small cut was made for insertion of the catheter
- Rarely, cardiac arrest from damage to nerves
How to Prepare
Cardiac catheterization is done in a hospital or special cardiac catheterization lab. You may need to go on a special diet and usually can’t eat or drink for several hours before the procedure. If you have diabetes, you will most likely fast for at least 8 hours before your procedure with no carbohydrate intake starting at midnight, if possible.
You will wear a hospital gown and remove all jewelry. You will take medicine to help you relax, which means you could fall asleep during the procedure; however, you won’t remember any of it. You’ll need someone to drive you home after your procedure if you have other transportation plans.
In summary, cardiac catheterization is a procedure used to see inside of the heart. It helps diagnose and treat heart problems such as heart attack, congenital disabilities, and valve disease. It would help if you found a specialist for the procedure to avoid complications such as bleeding, injury to blood vessels, and cardiac arrest due to nerve damage. Your doctor will give particular guidelines on how to prepare for the procedure.
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