Cardiac catheterization

Cardiac catheterization (heart cath) is the insertion of a catheterinto a chamberor vesselof the heart.

A small incisionis made in a vessel in the groin, wristor neck area (the femoralvessels or the carotid/jugularvessels), then a guidewireis inserted into the incision and threaded through the vessel into the area of the heart that requires treatment, visualized by fluoroscopyor echocardiogram, and a catheter is then threaded over the guidewire. When the necessary proceduresare complete, the catheter is removed followed by the guidewire. Occasionally the incision requires a sutureor two, but more often just requires a few minutes of pressure with a clean dressingto stop bleeding.

A cardiac catheterization is a general term for a group of procedures that are performed using this method. Once the catheter is in place, it can be used to perform a number of procedures including angioplasty, angiography, and balloon septostomy.

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiac+catheterization Wikipedia article Cardiac catheterization.