Transradial Catheterization for CAD – The Procedure and Its Need

by Rahul Singh Content Writer

Overview

Transradial catheterization is a minimally invasive advanced procedure that is available now in leading multi-facility hospitals in India. It is mainly used to treat or diagnose CAD (coronary artery disease) as well as PAD (peripheral artery disease). In the procedure, a catheter is inserted through the radial artery in the wrist to check or repair conditions in the heart or other arteries. Radial access has become more popular than femoral access (catheter inserted through the thigh), as it has a significantly lower rate of complications.

Transradial Catheterization Treatment Procedure

The Procedure

The procedure is performed in a hospital, where first, an IV line is put in the patient’s arm or hand to deliver fluids and medicines. The patient is usually given medicine (sedatives) to relax them and make them drowsy. As the procedure begins:

The patient lies on an X-ray table or operating table.
The skin on the wrist where the catheter will be inserted (insertion site) is numbed.
The cardiologist makes a tiny puncture or incision in the radial artery in the wrist, and then inserts a catheter, threading it through the blood vessels into the heart.
Doctors also usually inject a contrast fluid through the catheter into the arteries to help them see arteries better in the X-ray.
Any tests or repairs that are needed to be performed are done at this point, like clearing arteries of any blockages.
When all of the above is done, the catheter is removed and direct pressure is put on the puncture site to prevent bleeding.
Patients are kept in the hospital for some time (3-4 hours) for recovery and then can go home. They are strictly advised not to drive or lift heavy objects for at least 48 hours.

When Is The Procedure Needed?

The procedure is needed in patients that experience signs and symptoms of heart or artery disease like CAD and PAD. These include:

Symptoms of chest pain, tightness, or heaviness (known as angina). This is a common symptom of blocked heart arteries or CAD.
Symptoms of weakness, dizziness, trouble breathing, or swollen legs or feet. These are usually symptoms of a problem with a heart valve or the heart muscle.

If other test results like stress tests, heart scans, and echocardiography show heart problems.

You can find the procedure in all leading multi-facility hospitals in India, like a leading heart hospital in Patna. The top heart hospitals in Patna have heart specialists in Patna which have decades of experience in cardiology and its procedures. The cardiologists in Patna are now well known in medical circles as one of the best in the country, with the establishment of super-specialty hospitals in Patna, which also include some of the best cardiac hospitals in India.