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Cardiac Catheterization
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Back to Cardiovascular Diagnostic Evaluation
Cardiac catheterization was developed as a tool for observing the heart in action diagnostic catheterization. Today, many repairs that once required surgery can be accomplished by catheterization.

A catheter is a very narrow tube fed into a vein or artery that leads to the heart, allowing a close look at the structures inside and giving doctors a way to deliver different tools directly to the heart.

By using a catheter doctors can:

  • closely observe heart structure
  • measure blood pressures at specific locations within the heart
  • deliver focused radio waves to sever errant electrical connections
  • close holes
  • expand narrowed passages
  • open new passages where needed.
Cardiac catheterization can be performed on children of any age - even newborns immediately after birth.

With seven full-time physicians performing 1,500 procedures each year, the catheterization program at Children's is one of the largest in the country.

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