The Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (cath lab) at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center is a specialized area dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease.
What is coronary artery disease?
The coronary arteries are smooth walled tubes that feed oxygen rich blood to the heart muscle. Coronary artery disease is the gradual build up of plaque in the coronary arteries, also known as atherosclerosis. As atherosclerosis continues, the coronary arteries can begin to narrow and become clogged. This build-up blocks the flow of blood to the heart muscle. Without adequate blood flow, the heart muscles does not get the oxygen it needs to pump properly. The symptoms from this blockage can be as mild as a feeling of fatigue or as severe as crushing chest pain. Symptoms may progress slowly over time or can seem to come on suddenly. This is described as acute coronary syndrome.
What can be done?
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center offers a number of procedures designed to diagnose and treat heart disease. Noninvasive diagnostic testing available include electrocardiogram, trans-thoracic echocardiogram, trans-esophageal echocardiogram, treadmill testing, nuclear medication scans, and other stress testing. Invasive diagnostic testing includes a heart catheterization in which the coronary arteries are visualized using x-ray equipment, specialized catheters and contrast dye. The valves of the heart can be evaluated during a heart cath, as well as the heart's function which is measured as an ejection fraction. This is called a left ventricular gram.
After the diagnostic testing is done, the decision will be made to proceed to an intervention or to treat the coronary artery disease with medication. Interventions could include angioplasty, which involves the placement of a small balloon which is inflated to reopen narrowed arteries. Angioplasty may be followed by the implantation of a stent. A stent is a small metal mesh tube used to keep the artery walls open. Other procedures may take place during a visit to the cath lab, including an intravascular ultrasound or the insertion of a pressure wire to measures fraction flow reserve or thrombectomy.
The cath lab also performs other procedures which include atrial septal defect closure, patent foramen ovale closure, intercardiac ultrasound, and diagnosis and treatment of peripheral vascular disease. Additionally, the cath lab performs placement of inferior vena cava filters, stent placement in blocked peripheral arteries, and thrombectomy of peripheral vessels.
For more information, please call 480.728.7354.
