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...

Heart Cath Procedure

On the 28th of this month, I will be having a heart catherization procedure to further explore the results of my nuclear stress test that indicated my LAD was displaying a limitation of air flow...  however, while there was an abnormal reading, I was able to achieve my target hearf rate for my age...  which typically does not happen if there is a restriction of air flow especially inside the LAD...  so, this procedure will provide results that will confirm either there is a problem or there is not or the problem does not warrant anything to be done about it at this time...

In other words:

• do nothing
• insert more stents
• have a bypass

Now...  depending upon the result...  I will make two different decisions...  either stay with UT Medical Center - Cardiology or asked to be referred to Vanderbilt Cardiology.  And, my reasoning?  I believe Vanderbilt has more experienced cardia surgeons.  For example, UT has only been putting in stents for the last 5 years and I just have the mentality that experience makes for a better surgeon, espeecially when one is dealing with the heart.

Twelve years ago when I had my 5 stents put in at NYC Presbyterian Hospital, I knew that stents were more often than not a temporary fix...  more than likely I would end up having a bypass at sometime down the road...  maybe now is that time...  or maybe not...

What I do know is that bypass surgery is commonplace and that it takes a good 12-18 months before the bypass patient is back to normal.  And, while I am still fairly young, my recovery will be a llittle longer that it might have been 12 years ago and it will be even longer if I get to wait another 12 years...