Cardiac catheterization (also called cardiac cath or coronary angiogram) is a procedure that allows your doctor to "see" how well your heart is functioning. The test involves inserting a long, narrow tube called a catheter into a blood vessel in your arm or leg, and guiding it to your heart with the aid of a special X-ray machine. Contrast dye is injected through the catheter so that X-ray movies of your valves, coronary arteries and heart chambers can be created.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) is a procedure used to open blocked coronary arteries using angioplasty and stent implantation during a heart attack. The procedure is performed in the cardiac catheterization laboratory on an emergency basis. Once a blocked coronary artery has been located after a cardiac catheterization, a small wire is advanced into the artery and past the blockage. Then, over this wire, a balloon catheter is advanced and the balloon is inflated. By inflating the balloon, the blockage is opened.

A stent is a small metal mesh tube that is secured to a balloon at the end of a delivery catheter. This may also be implanted if your cardiologist determines that it is needed. Once the stent is placed exactly over the blockage, the balloon is inflated, expanding the stent into the wall of the artery. When the balloon is deflated, the stent remains in place permanently. Over time, the lining of the artery wall will grow around the stent as the stent continues to support the vessel.

Elliot Hospital has established relationships with area ambulance services to allow for transmission of electrocardiograms from the ambulance prior to arrival in the Emergency Department. This allows for early activation of the cardiac cath lab team, resulting in quicker transport to the cath lab for this procedure.

After discharge from the hospital, you may need assistance with changes in lifestyle (i.e. smoking cessation, increasing physical activity and improving diet). You will most likely need to take Plavix® for a few months after discharge if a stent has been implanted to prevent artery closure. You may also be prescribed aspirin, cholesterol lowering agents and other medications as determined by your cardiologist. You will require follow-up with the cardiologist to check medication and lifestyle changes.

When a stent is implanted in an artery, the body reacts naturally to heal itself. To accomplish this, the vessel produces a layer of new cells, which will eventually cover the stent. While this covering of the stent is a natural healing response, the layer can become too thick. This leads to a narrowing of the vessel, and reduced blood flow.

To prevent this, Cardiologists at Elliot use a TAXUS™ Express²™ Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System. Paclitaxel is a drug that interferes with the ability of the vessel cells to divide and multiply, therefore reducing re-blockage and repeat procedures.

The procedure for implanting a drug-eluting stent is much like the procedure for implanting a conventional stent. In both cases, the physician will insert an introducer sheath into the groin, arm, or wrist to gain access to the artery. A balloon-tipped catheter will be threaded through the sheath, into the patient’s bloodstream, and to the affected portion of the coronary artery. The balloon is inflated to compress the plaque against the wall of the artery. After the artery has been widened, a second catheter is then inserted with a stent wrapped around the balloon. When the balloon inflates, the stent expands and is imbedded in your arterial wall. The artery will heal around the stent, holding it firmly in place. The special polymer coating on the stent will release an anti-restenosis medication directly into the artery in small, controlled quantities.

The procedure is performed under local anesthetic, so that patients can respond to their physician's directions and notify him or her of any pain they experience during the procedure. While undergoing the procedure, some patients may experience tightness or discomfort in their chest while the catheter is being guided to the lesion and the balloon is expanded. The procedure should take less than two hours. Following the procedure, the doctor will prescribe one or more medications to prevent the formation of blood clots. On average, a patient’s hospital stay may last one to three days.

More information on the TAXUS™ Express²™ Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System can be found at www.BostonScientific.com.

A pacemaker is a small, lightweight electronic device that's placed permanently inside your body to treat a slow heart rhythm. A pacemaker keeps track of your heartbeat, and when necessary generates electrical signals similar to the heart's natural signals to keep your heart beating at the right speed. Lifelong, regular checkups help make sure that your pacemaker continues to run smoothly.

A biventricular pacemaker is one specific kind of pacemaker that can help heart failure patients feel a lot better. It is called a “biventricular pacemaker” because it “paces” both of the heart's ventricles (pumping chambers) at the same time. Many heart failure patients' hearts don't have all chambers firing at just the right time to beat effectively. Re-timing the beat of some chambers can make your heart function better, which makes you feel better.

Click here to view an old pacemaker next to a new one, there is a world of difference.

An Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) is a small electronic device placed permanently inside your body. You may be given an ICD if you have had a cardiac arrest or if you have a fast heart rhythm problem that could lead to cardiac arrest. The ICD continuously monitors your heart rhythm (the speed and pattern of your heartbeat) and if the ICD senses a dangerous heart rhythm, it can send out one or more electrical shocks to return the heart to its normal rhythm. Lifelong monitoring is necessary to be sure that your ICD continues working correctly and to check for any further changes in your heart rhythm. 

Click here to learn more about the AICD Support Group