Cardiovascular Lab in Lake Wales

Catheter-based procedures are minimally invasive techniques that use a catheter (a thin, flexible tube) inserted into the arteries to examine the heart, arteries and veins with real-time images.

These procedures can diagnose heart or vascular disease and treat many conditions to lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Compared to other surgical methods, catheter-based procedures only require a tiny incision, meaning they typically involve less pain and a faster recovery time.

A diagnostic angiogram is an outpatient procedure that examines the inside of the arteries and veins to detect blockages or narrowing of vessels. It can measure your:

• Blood Pressure
• Blood Flow and Oxygen Levels
• Heart’s Pumping Ability
• Heart’s Valve Health

Angiography is also used in peripheral or carotid angiography to evaluate other areas of the body.

Peripheral Angiography

Peripheral angiography, or peripheral catheterization, allows cardiologists and surgeons to find areas of reduced blood flow in your lower body and legs. This procedure creates a map that shows where blockages exist.

Carotid Angiography

Carotid angiography allows doctors to view the carotid arteries, which supply your brain with oxygen. This minimally invasive procedure is used to detect narrowing or blockages that can lead to stroke.

A carotid angiogram procedure generally takes about an hour, but you will be monitored for a few hours after it is complete. You may be able to go home later in the day, or your cardiologist may have you spend the night in the hospital for further evaluation.

The incision site may feel sore or bruised a few days after a carotid angiogram, but the recovery period for the procedure is usually short. Your doctor and heart care team will discuss the procedure in detail before you arrive at the hospital to help you prepare for a carotid angiogram.

To keep your heart beating strong, AdventHealth Lake Wales offers catheterization treatments for peripheral vascular disease, peripheral arterial disease and other cardiovascular diseases.

These minimally invasive procedures help improve blood flow by opening blocked arteries and veins to reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke.

Angioplasty

Angioplasty helps improve your heart’s blood flow. During angioplasty, a catheter with a tiny balloon attached is inserted into your arteries. Your surgeon will carefully guide it to the blocked or narrow artery using X-rays or imaging. Once the catheter is placed at the blockage, your doctor will inflate the balloon to push plaque against the wall of the artery, improving your blood flow. A laser may also be used to break up plaque in the artery.

Heart Stent Placement

During angioplasty, a heart stent may be placed on the catheter along with the balloon to keep the artery open during the procedure. The heart stent stays in place after the cardiologist removes the catheter carefully.

Endovascular Aortic Repair (EVAR)

This minimally invasive approach treats abdominal aortic aneurysms. Compared to other procedures, an EVAR offers a shorter recovery time, less pain and better survival rates.

During EVAR, your surgeon can make small incisions at your groin to insert a small, flexible tube, or stent-graft. The stent-graft is then guided to the aneurysm with X-ray and imaging. The stent is placed into the aneurysm carefully to restore blood flow.