Cardiac catheterization indications, techniques, interpretation, and complications.

Abstract

In pediatric patients with congenital or acquired heart disease, cardiac catheterization and visual contrast studies provide a complete hemodynamic, functional, and anatomical picture of the patient's abnormality. The information obtained must be interpreted in light of the patient's history and clinical findings, together with other information obtained by noninvasive techniques. The procedure should be undertaken only after careful planning, yet the approach should be flexible, so that an alternate direction may be pursued should the unexpected be found. Each piece of information should be collated in step-wise fashion until the entire situation is clarified. Such procedures provide a wealth of information on which the cardiologist can base recommendations for continued medical management or surgical intervention.