Cardiac catheterization is a procedure during which a small plastic tube, called a catheter, is inserted into a vein or an artery and gradually moved to reach the heart.

• The insertion site is the arm or groin, one of which is cleansed and numbed.
• A small incision is them made that enables access to the chosen vein or artery through an introducer sheath .( a small , plastic tube used to enter a vein or artery)
• The cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) is equipped with special imaging equipment that allows the physician to view the catheter as it threaded towards the heart.
• Once inside the heart, X – ray pictures are taken, various cardiac functions are studied and treatment of certain conditions can be performed, if needed.

The term “Cardiac Catheterization “applies to any procedure that requires the insertion of a catheter into the heart. Some of these procedures are done to diagnose disease or abnormalities, while other are done to access the heart for treatment or correction of certain conditions.

Types of cardiac catheterization procedure include:

• Angiography ( also called an angiogram )
• Non – Surgical Coronary Interventions. This procedure includes Angioplasty and Stent Implantation.
• Valvuloplasty

Coronary Angiography is a diagnostic tool during which a contrast dye is injected through a catheter into the heart. This enables an image of the coronary arteries to be displayed on a monitor. These images reveal the location and approximate size of any blockages that are found, and the pumping ability of the heart can also be obtained. Depending on the reason for this procedure, you may have a second catheter inserted to record pressures in the heart chambers and to-obtain blood samples.

This procedure can help to detect:

• Blockage of coronary arteries ( Coronary artery disease )
• Valve disorders
• Abnormalities in the hearts pumping function
• Congenital heart disease