Heart catheter OP
The aim of cardiac catheter surgery is to examine the coronary arteries or the heart itself more closely with the aid of a contrast medium and X-ray technology. A cardiac catheter operation is performed as follows. First, the patient is prepared for the operation in the cardiac catheter laboratory.
Since the physician often uses access via the groin area, this area is shaved and thoroughly disinfected beforehand to minimize the risk of infection. Access via the crook of the arm or neck veins is less frequently used. The groin is then locally anesthetized.
This means that the patient is conscious and responsive during the entire cardiac catheterization procedure. The benefit of this is that the patient can support the doctor during the procedure, for example by breathing in a controlled manner. As soon as the local anesthetic takes effect, the doctor can make a small incision in the groin and try to hit the femoral artery.
If he succeeds, the bleeding is stopped and the catheter can be inserted into the artery. The catheter is then advanced until it reaches the heart via the aorta. If the physician now wishes to examine the coronary vessels, he can insert the thin catheter through their outlets from the ascending aorta and inject a contrast medium.
In most patients, this causes a sensation of heat in the chest, which, however, disappears within seconds. The coronary arteries can now be visualized by constant fluoroscopy of the heart with an X-ray machine. The doctor can examine them for narrowing (stenosis), for example, and treat them with a balloon or stent if necessary.
Other important examination options during cardiac catheter surgery include checking the individual heart valve function, local measurement of blood pressure and oxygen content, and a biopsy of the heart muscle. Once the cardiac catheter surgery is complete, the wire is slowly pulled out of the patient’s vessels and the access site is connected. Complications occur extremely rarely (< 1%) during a cardiac catheterization procedure.
If the incision in the groin is imprecise, a nerve injury can lead to sensory disturbances or paralysis of the leg. Furthermore, mostly harmless rhythm disturbances (extrasystoles) of the heart occur during surgery. Depending on the patient’s age and diet, the catheter can also remove cholesterol deposits in the aorta, which in serious cases can lead to a stroke.
However, the incidence of such complications is limited to less than one per thousand cases. Cardiac catheter surgery is a routine procedure that can usually be performed on an outpatient basis within one day. The examination itself can take between half an hour and two hours, depending on the condition of the patient’s vessels.
In case of positive findings and subsequent treatment, a cardiac catheter surgery can also be longer. Depending on the result of the procedure, the patient is often allowed to leave the hospital on the same day. After the insertion of a stent or balloon, at least one more day should be allowed for observation.
