Cardiac Catheterization in Children

Overview

Cardiac catheterization is a procedure your doctor uses to see images and get information about your child's heart and blood vessels from the inside. It can also be done to repair some congenital heart defects. This is a kind of heart problem that your child is born with.

Your doctor doesn't need to make any cuts to do the procedure. Instead, the doctor uses a thin tube called a catheter. The catheter is put into a blood vessel in the groin, neck, or other place on your child's body. Then the doctor moves the catheter through the blood vessel to the heart. The doctor may use the catheter to take blood samples and measurements, such as blood pressure. A dye can be put into the catheter. The doctor can take X-ray pictures of the dye as it moves through your child's heart and blood vessels. If the doctor is going to repair a heart problem, special tools are moved through the catheter to the heart. The doctor uses these tools to repair the problem. Then the catheter is removed from your child's body.

Your child may be able to go home the same day. Your child will see the doctor for regular checkups.

It can be scary when your child has a heart problem. It can help to learn as much as you can about your child's condition. You may also want to talk with other parents who have a child with a similar problem.

Your Child's Cardiac Catheterization for PDA: Before the Procedure, video

Your Child's Cardiac Catheterization for PDA: Returning Home, video