Cath Lab
A cath lab (short for catheterization laboratory) is a specialized medical facility within a hospital where doctors perform diagnostic and interventional procedures to examine and treat heart,brain and blood vessel conditions. The primary function of a cath lab is to perform cardiac/neuro catheterization, a procedure where a long, thin tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel and guided to the heart/brain. This allows doctors to assess the condition of the coronary arteries, heart chambers, valves,cerebral arteries and veins often diagnosing conditions like coronary artery disease, heart valve problems, strokes, aneurysms and other cardiovascular issues.
Common procedures performed in a cath lab:
- Cardiac/cerebral Angiography: An X-ray procedure used to view the blood vessels in the heart. Dye is injected into the coronary arteries to see blockages or narrowing.
- Angioplasty (PTCA): A procedure in which a balloon is inflated inside a blocked or narrowed artery to restore blood flow. Often followed by the placement of a stent to keep the artery open.
- Stent placement: A small mesh tube is inserted to hold open a blocked artery after angioplasty. Life saving procedure to treat Heart attack/stroke.
- Electrophysiology studies: These are used to diagnose and treat abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). They involve threading catheters through the heart to map electrical activity.
- Atherectomy: Removal of plaque or other blockages in blood vessels.
- Valve procedures: In some cases, catheter-based interventions can be used to repair or replace heart valves, such as in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).