Cardiac catherization is an investigation technique, that is used in order to confirm the presence of a suspected heart disease. It is also useful when the medical practitioner is trying to quantify the severity of the disease and its consequent effect on the heart. When a patient is suffering from shortness of breath and showing signs of cardiac insufficiency then the doctor will conduct a catherization .This process is also used prior to a major heart surgery.
During the process of cardiac catherization the cardiac surgeon will pass a catheter into a chamber or vessel of the heart. There are various types of cardiac catherization that include coronary catherization and catherization of the valves. This procedure will be performed under a local anesthetic and a puncture is made in the femoral artery of the groin or it may also be made in the radial artery of the wrist.
Seldinger technique is applied for inserting the wire with the aid of a plastic sheath. Catheters are then introduced and guided towards the heart. The surgeon will introduce iodine based contrast in order to attain the x ray fluoroscopy image. The doctors may also extend this procedure by inserting stent .There are other procedures like coronary angiography, angioplasty and balloon septosomy that used for treating various heart ailments that have been investigated with the help of the cardiac catherization method.