What Happens in a Cardiac Catherization Lab?

A cardiac catheterization lab, or cath lab, is a specialized examination room equipped with advanced diagnostic imaging technology. This allows your cardiology team to see inside your heart by guiding a tiny, thin tube, called a catheter, through a blood vessel to your heart. This procedure, known as cardiac catheterization, provides critical insights into how well your heart is functioning. Cardiac catheterization offers valuable information about your heart muscle, valves and blood vessels. It also enables doctors to perform minimally invasive procedures and confirm conditions that other tests may not detect. Tests and procedures performed during cardiac catheterization include: Angioplasty and stenting: A balloon-tipped catheter is guided to the site of a blockage. When the balloon is inflated, it pushes plaque (a thick, fatty substance) to the side, restoring blood flow. Often, a mesh tube called a stent is placed in the artery to provide additional support. Measurements of pressures, blood flow, and oxygen levels: By assessing pressures and blood flow in the heart’s four chambers, doctors can evaluate how well your heart pumps. Blood samples taken during the procedure also help measure oxygen levels in different areas of the heart. Imaging studies: Advanced imaging, such as intravascular ultrasound, helps assess plaque buildup and detect blocked stents. Fractional flow reserve measures pressure on either side of a blocked artery to determine if treatment is necessary. In addition to these procedures, numerous other minimally invasive interventions to improve cardiovascular function and blood flow are performed in a cath lab. However, it’s important to note that a cath lab is distinct from an operating room used for major heart surgeries. What sets us apart? At Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, we are proud to offer the largest cardiac catheterization lab in the Greater Lafayette area, featuring seven state-of-the-art cath lab suites. Our program stands out for its exceptional scope of care: The largest team of cardiologists in the region The largest team of cardiothoracic surgeons in the region The highest volume of procedures in the region, treating more than 4,000 patients annually Recipient of the National Cardiovascular Data Registry Chest Pain – MI Registry Performance Achievement Gold Award in 2022

Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Ochsner Lafayette General

Cardiology patients walking and drinking water

Why choose Ochsner Lafayette General for your cardiac catheterization lab needs?

Ochsner Lafayette General offers advanced heart care right here in Lafayette, Louisiana.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease affects Louisianians at a rate higher than in 45 other states. That means you or someone you love may need expert diagnosis and treatment.

That’s why Ochsner Lafayette General, in partnership with the Cardiovascular Institute of the South, has expanded cardiac catheterization lab services and technology. Together, we deliver advanced heart care in Lafayette, setting a new standard for cardiovascular treatment in Acadiana.

With a team of world-class cardiologists and specialists by your side, you can move forward with confidence. From your first appointment to post-operative care and recovery, we guide you every step of the way, ensuring you understand your treatment plan and feel supported throughout your journey.

A cardiac catheterization lab, or cath lab, is a specialized examination room equipped with advanced diagnostic imaging technology. This allows your cardiology team to see inside your heart by guiding a tiny, thin tube, called a catheter, through a blood vessel to your heart. This procedure, known as cardiac catheterization, provides critical insights into how well your heart is functioning.

Cardiac catheterization offers valuable information about your heart muscle, valves and blood vessels. It also enables doctors to perform minimally invasive procedures and confirm conditions that other tests may not detect.

Tests and procedures performed during cardiac catheterization include:

Angioplasty and stenting: A balloon-tipped catheter is guided to the site of a blockage. When the balloon is inflated, it pushes plaque (a thick, fatty substance) to the side, restoring blood flow. Often, a mesh tube called a stent is placed in the artery to provide additional support.
Measurements of pressures, blood flow, and oxygen levels: By assessing pressures and blood flow in the heart’s four chambers, doctors can evaluate how well your heart pumps. Blood samples taken during the procedure also help measure oxygen levels in different areas of the heart.
Imaging studies: Advanced imaging, such as intravascular ultrasound, helps assess plaque buildup and detect blocked stents. Fractional flow reserve measures pressure on either side of a blocked artery to determine if treatment is necessary.

In addition to these procedures, numerous other minimally invasive interventions to improve cardiovascular function and blood flow are performed in a cath lab. However, it’s important to note that a cath lab is distinct from an operating room used for major heart surgeries.

What sets us apart?

At Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, we are proud to offer the largest cardiac catheterization lab in the Greater Lafayette area, featuring seven state-of-the-art cath lab suites. Our program stands out for its exceptional scope of care:

The largest team of cardiologists in the region
The largest team of cardiothoracic surgeons in the region
The highest volume of procedures in the region, treating more than 4,000 patients annually
Recipient of the National Cardiovascular Data Registry Chest Pain – MI Registry Performance Achievement Gold Award in 2022

In addition to our highly skilled catheterization lab staff, cardiologists with the Cardiovascular Institute of the South are board-certified in more than one specialty, including electrophysiology and interventional cardiology. We also have two cardiologists specializing in structural heart disease, and a hospital cardiologist is on-site seven days a week. We stay at the forefront of new procedures and technology, often bringing them to the area before anyone else.

Working with this state-of-the-art technology, our network of specialists can better detect and treat cardiovascular disease, all while performing groundbreaking research and offering access to clinical trials, when possible.

If you need a cardiac catheterization procedure in the Greater Lafayette area, Ochsner and the Cardiovascular Institute of the South have you covered. Our system of catheterization labs is designed for easy access, helping connect you to leading cardiovascular care when you need it most. We offer services at:

FAQs

Many cardiac cath lab procedures are outpatient, meaning you will be home the same day. Some procedures require you to be awake but given a mild sedative. Others will require anesthesia. During the procedure, your heart rate, heart rhythm, blood pressure and oxygen levels will be monitored.

Your doctor may perform cardiac catheterization to treat a blockage during a heart attack. Cardiac catheterization is also used to diagnose or treat congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease (narrowing of the vessels that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart), peripheral artery disease (narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood to the legs from the heart), heart valve problems, problems with the heart’s rhythm (irregular heartbeats), heart defects present at birth and pulmonary hypertension.