Cardiac Catheter - Introduction

Over the course of human life, the heart pumps over 300 million liters (79.25 million gallons) of blood through the body and guarantees the vital supply of organs with oxygen and nutrients. The enormous pumping capacity of the heart can only be sustained when the heart is likewise supplied with oxygen-rich blood. This oxygen-rich blood is conveyed to the heart via the coronary blood vessels. Constriction of these vessels results in an obstructed blood supply - this then leads to an undersupply of blood which is accompanied by chest pains and feelings of anxiety when under stress and also later when at rest.

In a cardiac catheter examination, constriction of the coronary blood vessels can be exposed and localised. The affected vessels are then inflated using what is called balloon dilatation so that blood can once again circulate unhindered.
Prior to the cardiac catheter examination, a number of preliminary examinations must be undertaken such as an ECG (electrocardiogram), an x-ray examination, and a determination of your blood levels. The cardiac catheter examination is conducted using anaesthesia localised to the point of access: a finger-thick branch artery in the groin area or an artery in the crook of the arm. The catheter, which is a thin, plastic tube, is inserted into this artery with the aid of a needle and a guiding tube and is pushed forward using radiographic monitoring until the heart is reached. Through the administration of a contrast agent, the coronary blood vessels, including constrictions, become visible on the monitor. The balloon, which is attached to another catheter, is pushed forward to the point of constriction and is inflated, thus inflating the blood vessel. Upon request, a device known as a stent (a cylindrical blood vessel support made of metal or plastic) can be installed at this point. In contrast to a balloon, a stent remains in the arterial wall and generally maintains the unobstructed condition of the blood vessel. Because there are no pain receptors in the blood vessels, treatment is completely painless. During inflation of the balloon, brief feelings of tightness in the chest may be felt.

The bandage which is applied following treatment can be removed after 6-24 hours, at which point bedrest is no longer mandatory. After balloon dilatation or a stent implantation, you may leave the clinic after 1-2 days. Sports can be taken up again after about 1 week.

Through balloon dilatation and (if applicable) a stent implantation, pain and feelings of anxiety should disappear as a result of the heart once again being supplied with sufficient amounts of oxygen. The threat of a heart attack can be averted thanks to this treatment. A recurrence of constrictions in the same or another blood vessel is nevertheless possible and may entail a second procedure.^1-11