Cardiac Catheterization Lab at DCH Regional Medical Center

State-of-the-Art Diagnostics

Our Cardiac Catheterization Lab enables our board-certified cardiologists to detect blocked arteries in heart attack victims or people experiencing heart attack symptoms, such as chest pain. To detect blocked arteries, a physician inserts a flexible catheter into the patient’s vein that supplies blood to the heart, usually through the leg. The catheter releases a dye into the arteries so they can be seen by X-ray.

The Cardiac Catheterization Lab provides invasive diagnostic and therapeutic services, including angioplasty. During angioplasty, a tiny balloon is inserted into an artery to clear it of fatty deposits. Stents are inserted into an artery to prevent it from closing after bypass surgery or angioplasty. Temporary and permanent pacemakers are also implanted in the catheterization lab. Total patient care is provided by a registered nurse. The Cardiac Catheterization Lab provides coverage for emergency procedures 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The lab has procedure rooms to prepare patients for a procedure and where they return after a procedure to rest and recover before going home. A spacious waiting room for this area offers convenience and privacy for families. The catheterization lab also includes a check-in and registration desk for patients, and a consult room for physicians to meet with patients and their families.