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Types of Cardiac Catheterization

Three treatments for blocked coronary arteries are commonly referred to in a group as cardiac catheterizations because they all start with a catheter inserted in your artery. The medical terms for these treatments are cardiac catheterization, balloon angioplasty and atherectomy. Understanding these procedures will help you discuss your coronary artery disease and possible treatments with your health care provider.

  1. Coronary Artery Disease

    • Your heart is responsible for pumping blood through your body to supply it with the oxygen and nutrients you need to live. Blood is pumped from your heart through large blood vessels called arteries. When plaque forms on the walls of the arteries, they narrow and reduce the flow of blood to your heart. This is called coronary artery disease. If the artery becomes blocked and the flow of blood stops, you will have a heart attack.

    Cardiac Catheterization

    • If your medical tests indicate you may have coronary artery disease, your doctor will perform a cardiac catheterization to determine the extent of blockage in your arteries and ways to treat the disease. The doctor begins by giving you a local anesthetic at the site she has chosen to insert the catheter. When your skin is numb, she will insert a thin sheath into a blood vessel in your arm, wrist or groin. Next, she will insert a thin catheter through the sheath and guide it to your heart. Then doctor then examines your heart and arteries to determine what treatment you need.

    Balloon Agioplasty

    • If your arteries are blocked, your doctor can perform a balloon angioplasty. For this procedure, the doctor inserts a special guiding catheter and guide wire through the sheath used for the cardiac catheterization. Once the guide wire is in place, a catheter with a balloon tip is threaded along the guide wire until it reaches the blockage. Once inside the blockage, the balloon tip is expanded and deflated several times to compress the blockage and increase blood flow. Balloon angioplasty is a common procedure and more than 1 million are done each year, according to the American Heart Association.

    Atherectomy

    • Another option your doctor may use is an atherectomy. As with the balloon angioplasty, your doctor will use a guide wire to position a special grinding catheter or a laser catheter, both of which are called atherectomy catheters. The atherectomy catheter grinds the blockage into small pieces that are swept away in your bloodstream or vaporizes the blockage, according to the American Heart Association.

    Risks

    • Rrisks are associated with all cardiac catheterization procedures. These include damage to the artery lining, allergic reaction to contrast agents used during the procedures, damage to your kidneys from the contrast agent and abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia). In very rare cases the procedures could result in heart attack or stroke.

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