Cardiac catheterization aims to open the coronary blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with the blood necessary for its proper function, in case it suffers from some disorders that cause narrowing or blockage , such as: atherosclerosis.
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| Cardiac Catheterization |
Cardiac catheterization is also performed to diagnose vascular diseases, relieve chest pain caused by angina pectoris , improve heart performance, and sometimes save the patient's life, and in cases that do not respond to other treatment methods, repair a congenital heart defect, and accurately measure blood pressure in departments The heart, major arteries and lungs.
Insertion of a central catheter peripherally
Risks of performing the operation
Cardiac catheterization is associated with some risks, such as the following:
Infection in the surgical incision.
bleeding.
Incision site scars.
Hypersensitivity to the used anesthetics or dye.
Damage to the blood vessels in the heart.
Heart rhythm disturbances.
Before the operation
The patient is sent for a set of tests, such as: a complete blood count, blood chemistry, coagulation functions, kidney and liver functions, and echocardiography to assess the performance of the heart.
The doctor should be consulted about the medications that must be stopped in the days preceding the operation, and the patient should fast for a full 8 hours before the operation.
during operation
After determining the area of entry into the blood vessels, usually in the area of the femoral artery, or the radial artery, cardiac catheterization is performed as follows:
Sterilize the incision area well, then insert a long, thin tube into the blood vessels.
The tube is passed through the main blood vessels to the origin of the coronary blood vessels in the heart, with the help of angiography for monitoring.
Injecting a specific dye distributed in the blood vessels homogeneously, showing areas where there is improper flow due to narrowing or blockage in the blood vessels.
Choosing the appropriate treatment for the patient's condition, as the blood vessels can be expanded by inflating a small balloon, or inserting a stent that helps keep the blood vessels open.
Take the tube out through the incision, sew it up and put a bandage on it.
Post surgery
After the therapeutic cardiac catheterization, the patient is kept under medical supervision, and usually stays in the hospital for several days, while there is no need to stay in the hospital if the catheterization is diagnostic.
The dressing is removed from the incision several days after the operation, and there may be localized bleeding that will resolve spontaneously after several days, and pain relievers can be used as needed.
You should go to the doctor quickly if some problems appear, such as: sudden high temperature, low blood pressure , shortness of breath, urinary retention, severe bleeding, and severe pain.
It is possible to return to daily activities after performing a therapeutic cardiac catheterization gradually, and the doctor often prescribes some medications, and anticoagulant drugs to prevent another blockage in the blood vessels in the future.