Cardiac Catheterization Lab
At the DMC, our cardiac catheterization labs, or cath labs, allow your healthcare provider to get a better picture of what might be happening inside of your heart.
With thousands of catheterizations performed in our catheterization suites each year, our Cardiac Cath Lab at the Heart & Vascular Institute was designed to provide you with access to some of the finest care in the area to help you get back on your feet and home with your loved ones faster.
How it Works
A catheter is a thin, flexible tube that your heart doctor can insert into a blood vessel in your arm, upper thigh or neck, and then thread the tube to your heart. Through the catheter, your doctor can perform a diagnostic test and even treat any potential problems.
Your doctor may put a special type of dye in the catheter. The dye helps make your heart arteries visible on an x-ray. The dye can also illuminate any plaque that might be narrowing or blocking your arteries and restricting blood flow to your heart.
Ultrasound may also be used to get a clearer picture of your arteries during a catheterization. Your doctor may take samples of blood and heart muscle during cardiac catheterization, and they may also perform minor heart surgery. If your doctor sees a blockage, a balloon or stent may be inserted through the catheter to open up the artery.
Some of the procedures offered in our Cardiac Cath Lab include:
- Coronary and left ventricular digital angiograph
- Right and left heart catheterization
- Balloon angioplasty
- Rotational and directional atherectomy
- Stent implantation Thrombectomy Carotid angiography and stenting
- Peripheral angiography and intervention
- Structural heart (atrial septal defect (ASD), patent foramen ovale (PFO), balloon valvuloplasty, TAVR and MitraClip)
What You Can Expect
An IV will be inserted to give you fluid and medications, and you can also receive a mild sedative to help you relax. You will remain awake during the procedure but should feel no pain. You may feel a little sore afterward where the catheter and IV were inserted.
You are allowed to return home the same day as the procedure. Depending on the insertion point (arm or thigh), you will be able to walk immediately after the procedure or a short time later.
Saving More Lives
Time is muscle, when it comes to your heart. Your heart is technically one big muscle that pumps blood for the rest of your body. If there is a problem with your most important muscle, cardiac catheterization offers a fast, less invasive way to fix it whether you’re in an emergency situation or a diagnostic procedure to help keep your heart healthy.
What is Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)?
Coronary artery disease, or CAD, happens when cholesterol-containing deposits (plaque) build up on the inner walls of coronary arteries over time. This causes the arteries to harden and narrow, which decreases blood flow to the heart. As a result, your heart doesn’t get the blood, oxygen and nutrients it needs, which can lead to chest pain or other symptoms. In some cases, it can lead to a heart attack which is caused when the heart muscle dies because of the absence of blood flow. The build-up of plaque can be attributed to poor lifestyle habits such as smoking and obesity, but it can also be caused by things that cannot be avoided, such as aging or a family history of heart disease.
Common Symptoms of CAD
People may feel heart disease symptoms during stress, physical activity or even at rest. It is more common to experience these symptoms while walking, going up stairs or moving around. It is important to note that women often do not exhibit the same symptoms as men when having a heart attack. If you feel these signs, seek help from a health care provider immediately.
Don’t delay the care you need.
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