The Risks of Cardiac Catheterization

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of fatalities among men and women in the United States.

Several medical tests and diagnostic procedures are used to detect heart problems and to help decide on the best line of treatment for a particular problem. A common diagnostic tool used in cases of heart ailments is cardiac catheterization. Cardiac catheterization is used for:

• Collection of blood samples
• Biopsy of heart muscle
• Measuring the pressure and flow of blood in the heart and arteries
• Measuring the oxygen level in the blood

Types of Treatments Using Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac catheterization may also be used in treatment procedures for some heart diseases. Some of the treatment procedures that involve cardiac catheterization include:

• Treating congenital heart defects that involve holes in the heart
• Angioplasty
• Heart arrhythmia
• Repair or replacement of valves

A Simple Procedure That Requires Precision

Missouri medical malpractice attorneys inform us that cardiac catheterization is a fairly simple procedure which doctors perform as an outpatient surgery. The whole procedure may not take more than an hour to complete. In cardiac catheterization, the patient is given a mild anesthesia, and then a small tube is inserted into the vein and a contrasting dye is injected. An X-ray is then used for photographing the affected area.

Cardiac catheterization is a safe procedure, and involves only a minimal risk as you may expect in any invasive surgery. In the United States, in only 4 out of 1000 cardiac catheterization procedures some kind of complication may arise. The mortality figure stands at 2 in 1000 cardiac catheterization procedures.

The chances of a complication arising out of a cardiac catheterization procedure are rare, unless the doctor has not been careful enough in performing the procedure. Cardiac catheterization is a relatively simple procedure, but it requires precision. A small mistake on the part of the doctor can cause serious health problems. Missouri medical malpractice attorneys have come across several cases where people have suffered health problems due to negligence of the doctor during the procedure.

Complications of Cardiac Catheterization

Medical negligence during cardiac catheterization may involve use of unsterile instruments while performing the procedure. In some cases of medical negligence, the doctor failed to properly administer medications prior to the procedure. There also have been cases where the doctor negligently inserted a foreign object into a person’s circulatory system during a cardiac catheterization procedure. Other common cardiac catheter complications include abrupt closure of a coronary artery and cardiac perforation.

The victims of cardiac catheterization related medical malpractice should understand that they can seek compensation for all the losses they have suffered due to the doctor’s negligence. Contact Zevan and Davidson Law Firm at (314) 588-7200 to seek advice.

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