Catheterization Lab
The Mohawk Valley Heart Institute operates three cardiac catheterization labs, two at St. Elizabeth Medical Center and one at the St. Luke’s campus of Faxton-St. Luke’s Healthcare. In MVHI’s ten-year history, these labs have performed over 33,000 diagnostic cardiac catheterizations and over 12,000 angioplasties, ranking them among the busiest facilities in New York State. We bring that extensive experience into every procedure we perform.
MVHI maintains state-of-the-art-equipment and facilities, so your procedure is always performed using current technology. In October of 2006, the St. Luke’s cardiac catheterization lab updated its x-ray equipment to digital flat panel detectors that provide the best images with the lowest amount of radiation. St. Elizabeth’s campus completed a major renovation of its facilities with the same updates of equipment, in March 2008.
What is Cardiac Catheterization?
Cardiac Catheterization is a minimally invasive procedure performed by a cardiologist to diagnose disease in the arteries and valves of the heart. This is done by inserting a catheter (small tube) through an artery in the leg or arm and advancing it up into the heart. Through this catheter, a harmless dye is injected, and pictures of the arteries of the heart are taken with x-ray equipment. The cardiologist can then study the coronary arteries to determine if there are blockages that require treatment. The valves are evaluated for disease such as leaking or calcification (hardening). If problems are found, possible treatments include medication, angioplasty or open-heart surgery.
What can you expect?
If you are scheduled for a cardiac catheterization, you can plan to be in the Cath Lab for 45 - 60 minutes. It takes 10-15 minutes to prepare you for the procedure, and the cardiac catheterization takes about 10 minutes to perform. The rest is recovery time, about 20-30 minutes. You will be kept comfortable with warm blankets, and given medication to help you relax. Recovery includes removing the catheter and applying pressure to seal the entry point. After recovery, you will be transported back to your room, where strict bed rest is typically maintained for 4 to 6 hours, after which you will be allowed to get up and walk.
After the procedure, your cardiologist will discuss the results and treatment options with you and your family.
Occasionally, after the cardiac catheterization, the cardiologist may determine that there is a significantly blocked artery that is treatable with angioplasty. If you have consented to angioplasty during prior discussions with your doctor, an angioplasty will be performed.
What is a Coronary Angioplasty?
Coronary angioplasty is a treatment option performed for serious blockages in the coronary arteries. It is started in the same way as the cardiac catheterization, and indeed, can be performed at the same time as the catheterization. During angioplasty, a number of devices may be used, such as coronary balloons, stents (small metal scaffolds used to hold open the artery and look much like a ball point pen spring), stents coated with a drug, by Johnson and Johnson (Cypher®), Boston Scientific (Taxus®, Promus), and Medtronic (Endeavor), Rotoblators (high speed rotary tools for removing calcifications), atherectomy (clot extracting) catheters and Angiojets (for clot busting).
In the event of an acute heart attack, angioplasty can be a life-saving procedure, opening up a completely blocked artery and preventing massive damage to the heart muscle. The Cath Lab is the destination for heart attack patients in our community. Together, the Mohawk Valley Heart Institute hospitals and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) have developed protocols aimed at getting a patient's blocked artery open within 90 minutes of admission to the hospital.
Acute Cardiac Care Unit (ACCU)
This 18-bed nursing unit is dedicated to our cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology patients, before and after procedures. All registered nurses are specifically trained in coronary care and advanced cardiac life support. If a procedure requires an overnight stay, the patient stays in this facility. Our staff specializes in the performance of, and recovery from, these procedures, and we are especially proud of the high marks we receive on patient satisfaction surveys.