Heart Cath

What happens during a heart catheterization procedure?

In cardiac catheterization (often called cardiac cath), your doctor puts a very small, flexible, hollow tube (called a catheter) into a blood vessel in the groin, arm, or neck. Then he or she threads it through the blood vessel into the aorta and into the heart. Once the catheter is in place, several tests may be done.

AUTHOR's COMMENTS:  

On Tursday of this week, I will be having this procedure at UT Medical Center - Heart and Lung Department...    This is the second time that a procedure like this has been performed on me...  the first time was at the same hospital and was performed in 2008 and the surgeon recommended a triple bypass, but instead I had 5 stents inserted into my heart arteries over a 12 month period of time with 3 surgeries.

It appears that my stents may no longer be working as they should since a recent stress test indicated an abnormal reading that pointed to my LAD...  So, this procedure is to take a closer look at the problem...

My surgery is scheduled at 7:00 am so I have to arrive at 5:30 am which means I have to leave the house at 4:30 am and that means I must get up and shower at 4:00 am...  this should not be a problem for me as I am always waking up during the night at various times to urinate.

Hopefully, I will be released and on my way home by noon or earlier of that same day...