What is the procedure for administering a heart catherization?

Question

Are you given anestheia and how long is the procedure? What will be done in the procedure?

Answer 1

A cardiac catheterzation is a procedure that primarily looks at the circulation of blood through your coronary arteries. Small amounts of radiopaque contrast is injected and observed under fluoroscopy(a type of x-ray movie) as it circulates. The MD will be able to visualize any area of narrowing in these arteries which could be responsible for symptoms of angina, or could lead to a heart attack.
Specific procedures vary between hospitals and doctors, but very generally:
A local anesthetic is used in the femoral artery area (groin) and some labs routinely give other IV sedation as well (usually Versed which is similar to Valium). A sheath, (a special kind of IV access, about 4 inches long and just a little thicker than spagetti) is inserted into the artery, and through this sheath, the MD will snake different catheters from the groin to the coronary arteries.You will not feel the catheters in your heart, because there are no nerve endings in the vessels like the aorta.
There is a large x-ray camera over your chest that will move to several different positions as they take different views of the contrast dye circulating. They typically take 5 to 10 pictures of your arteries. Most people do not feel the contrast injections.
You may feel a "hot flash" kind of feeling when they take a picture of the ventricle (pumping chamber) of the heart, but this only lasts for 30 seconds or so.
If only pictures of the arteries are taken, a cath can take about 15-20 minutes once things are set up and the doctor is in the room.
Sometimes, another kind of catheter is put in the vein to measure pressures in the heart chambers and to check pressure gradients across the valves. This can add time to the procedure.
After the cath, all catheters and the sheath will be removed.Pressure is usually applied to the groin site for 20 minutes to keep it from bleeding, and then you will probably be on bedrest with your head fairly flat and your leg straight for 4 -6 hours.This is to allow the access site in your groin to stablilize so you won't bleed.
You should not feel any discomfort. A cardiac catheterization should not be painful in any way. Most peolple go home the same day if no other procedure is needed.
Hope this was helpful :>)

Answer 2

I had two done, no general anesthesia, just a local where they insert the tube. I had mine in my groin, although I hear it can also be done under the arm. The length of time depends on what the dr sees. THey insert a tube from groin to heart through a vein or artery ( i forget which) and then inject dye (that makes you feel hot all over for a minute) and they look at a monitor to check for blockages and such.
The first one went fine. The second one, well, they injected alot of dye and I got a terrible headache and threw up. Not trying to scare you, just letting you know some people are allergic to the dye.

Answer 3

let me tell you, I just went through it 2 days ago. first they have to prep you, they have to shave the hair from the side of your groin area, then they put a I V in your arm so they can put in the antisthetic, then they take you down to the surgery room and they put this med in you and your in la la land, they insert this needle in the vein in your crotch, the corordid artery and it has a tiny camera on it, they guild it into your heart and watch it on a monitor to see how much blockage you have. your awake all the time but you don,t feel a thing. then afterwards you go to recovery and can,t move the leg on the side they went in or raise your head for 4 to 6 hours. thats it, it,s no big deal. they put a stent in me so I had to stay overnight. if they get you in early, you should be home that night. don,t worry, it,s like getting a tooth pulled.