Cardiac Catheter Laboratory
The Holmesglen Private Hospital Cardiac Catheter Laboratory is equipped with the Phillips Allura Clarity FD20 system, the latest in advanced digital technology enabling accurate imaging of blood vessels throughout the whole body.
Cardiac catheterization is a diagnostic procedure used to determine the extent of coronary artery and valve disease.
This technique involves inserting a catheter into an artery, usually the radial artery in the wrist, or femoral artery in the groin and passing catheter to the heart.
A radiopaque dye is injected into the arteries which are then visualised under X-Ray imaging. Heart chamber pressures can be measured through the catheters to determine the extent of valvular disease.
Coronary catheterisation remains the gold standard in assessment of coronary artery disease here at the Holmesglen Private Hospital.
Using the information gained from the cardiac catheterisation, your cardiologist will work with you to create the treatment plan that will best manage your symptoms and condition, be it stent insertion, surgery or medication management.
The Cardiac Catheter Lab is staffed by specialist doctors, cardiac trained nurses, radiographers and cardiac technologists.
The technology at Holmesglen Private Hospital caters for cardiac procedures including:- Cardiac Electrophysiology studies (EPS) and Radio-frequency Ablation (RFA) of arrhythmias
- Cardio version and echocardiography services including Transoesophageal Echocardiography (TOE) and Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE)
- Carotid and renal angiography and angioplasty
- Coronary angiography
- Defibrillator implant including biventricular defibrillator implant
- Implantable loop recorders
- Interventional coronary angioplasty, including stent insertion
- Permanent Pacemaker implant and checks
- Peripheral Vascular angiography and angioplasty.
Our other cardiac services include:
- A 24 hour on call service is provided to patients presenting to Emergency Department requiring urgent treatment for Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI)
- Rapid access to Coronary Care and Intensive Care units
- Stress testing.
Information for patients and visitors
Your doctor will discuss the procedure findings with you briefly, immediately postoperatively and will discuss the treatment options with you in greater detail at a later time.
Procedures commonly range from 30 minutes to an hour or more, but this can vary from patient to patient.
Your doctor will discuss any specific instructions relating to your procedure with you prior to your arrival at the hospital.
These may include which of medications which you should or should not take, any restrictions regarding when you should stop eating and/or drinking.
Your doctor will discuss with you the risks associated with your procedure.
Your doctor will discuss procedure details with you. Although each procedure is unique, most cardiac catheterization patients will:
- have the insertion area (usually the wrist or groin area) cleaned and clipped by a nurse or other medical professional
- have an intravenous drip inserted to deliver fluids and medications
- receive medication which will place them under conscious sedation, meaning that they will be relaxed, but not asleep, during the procedure
- feel some pressure when the catheter is inserted, but little or no pain
- possibly feel some warmth or other sensation in the chest if dye is injected.