Strong Heart and Vascular Center

Cardiac Catheterization Labs

Types of Cardiac Catheterization Procedures

Diagnostic Tests

• Cardiac Biopsy
• Cardiac Catheterization
• Carotid Angiogram
• Peripheral (Leg) Angiogram
• Renal (Kidney) Angiogram
• Right Heart Catheterization

Advanced Diagnostic Procedures

Advanced diagnostic procedures are only performed if additional information is needed after a cardiac catheterization. Some types include:

• Doppler Flow Wire
• IVUS (Intravascular Ultrasound)

Interventional Procedures

Interventional procedures, sometimes called PTCA, are performed on many arteries, including the heart, kidneys, carotid, and leg, to open up the arteries. Some techniques include the following:

• Arthrectomy—This is a rarely used procedure (only if the blockage is a certain form/shape), where a special device shaves some of the plaque. Usually patients undergo immediate angioplasty and stenting to help increase and smooth the inner diameter of the vessel.
• Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) Repair
• Balloon Angioplasty
• Mitral Valvuloplasty
• Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Repair
• Rotoblation—This procedure is used if the blockage is very hard. A diamond tip burr makes a hole through the blockage. This helps open the artery, but usually patients undergo immediate angioplasty and stenting to help increase and smooth the inner diameter of the vessel.
• Stenting