Dameron Hospital has a fully-equipped, state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization (cath) lab, offering diagnostic, interventional cardiology and peripheral vascular procedures for our patients. The lab is composed of two specially-equipped rooms where doctors perform minimally invasive tests and procedures to diagnose and treat cardiac and cardiovascular problems.
Cath Lab procedures include:
- Cardiac diagnostics
- Cardiac Biopsy
- Angioplasty/Stenting
- CT Heart Scan
- STEMI intervention
- Echocardiogram
- Electrocardiogram
- Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)
- Stress Test
- Electrophysiology (EP)
During cardiac catheterization, cardiologists insert a thin, plastic tube, called a catheter, into an artery or vein in either the arm or the leg. Using special digital X-ray equipment, the cardiologist is able to watch the movement of the catheter inside the body to assess the heart’s ability to pump blood and determine whether non-surgical medical management or bypass surgery may be most appropriate for the patient.
The cardiologist can also assess the condition of the patient’s vascular system—the veins and arteries that comprise the circulatory system—through catheterization. Many patients with narrowed or clogged arteries may be treated using procedures that help improve blood flow to the heart. Left untreated, narrowed or clogged arteries can lead to heart disease and stroke.
Dameron is one of only two hospitals designated by San Joaquin County as a heart attack STEMI Receiving Center. STEMI (ST-elevated myocardial infarction) Receiving Centers are designed to ensure that patients experiencing certain types of heart attacks receive rapid access to cardiac catheterization, performed by a highly trained cardiologist, to reopen their blocked cardiac blood vessels as quickly as possible.
Dameron Hospital been able to consistently resolve STEMI cases sooner than the American Heart Association’s current standard of 60 minutes or less, successfully treating cases typically within 20 to 45 minutes.