A small intravenous needle ("IV line") will be inserted into a vein in your arm. This line allows drugs to be injected directly into the vein, if needed. To help you relax, you'll be given a
sedative. Before the Procedure
Get specific instructions about the food you can have. Generally, you will be asked not to eat or drink anything for 6 to 8 hours before the procedure. (You may
have sips of water to swallow your medications). Be sure to check with your doctor several days before the procedure. You may be asked to take certain medications (such as aspirin) prior to your angioplasty. Make arrangements for someone to drive you to and from the hospital. Your stay could last more than one day. Pack a small bag for your hospital stay. You may want to include a robe, pajamas or nightgown, slippers, and toiletries. Bring a list of all the medications you are currently taking. It is important for the doctor to know the exact names and dosages of any medications that you take. Be sure to let your doctor know if you have any allergies to drugs, or if you have a history of bleeding problems.
For your comfort, empty your bladder as completely as possible before the procedure starts. (A bedpan or urinal will be available during the procedure) During the Procedure
You'll be transported to the cath lab on a movable bed, then transferred to an x-ray table. The table has a large camera above it and television screens close by. The equipment in the cath lab also includes heart monitors and various instruments and devices.
The cath lab team generally includes a cardiologist, an assistant (usually a doctor), one or two nurses, and technicians. After being positioned on the x-ray table, you'll be connected to a
variety of monitors, and covered with sterile sheets. The staff will be wearing sterile gowns, gloves, and possibly masks. How Is Angioplasty Done?
The site where the catheters will be inserted (usually the groin, occasionally the arm) is cleansed with an antiseptic solution. A local anesthetic is then injected into the skin with a tiny needle, to numb the area. This may cause a stinging sensation.
A small incision is made in the skin, and a needle is used to puncture the artery. A guide-wire (a long, flexible wire) is inserted into the artery. A short plastic tube, called an introducer sheath, is
slipped over the guide-wire and into the artery. Doctors then insert a guiding catheter through the introducer sheath. With the help of an x-ray camera, the guiding catheter is directed toward the opening of the diseased artery. Contrast dye may be injected into the vessel, to get pictures of the obstruction. Next, doctors insert a balloon catheter through the guiding catheter. It has a small balloon at its tip that is used to open or widen the narrowed artery. The balloon catheter is threaded into the artery and then advanced across the narrowed area. <BACK CONTINUED>
|
