Depending on where you live and the complexity of your child's case, he or she may be admitted the day before and stay overnight in the hospital, or, undergo pre-procedure testing on an outpatient basis several days before the procedure. In either case, your family will have ample opportunity to ask questions and meet with the catheterization doctor, who will be responsible for your child's case.

On the day of the procedure, sedation or anesthesia is administered and the catheter insertion area is numbed. This will prevent your child from feeling any pain during the procedure. The degree of sedation depends on the age of the patient and the exact procedure that is planned. An anesthesiologist remains with the catheterization team throughout the procedure and carefully monitors the patient's comfort and condition.

The procedure usually takes about one to four hours. The catheter (flexible tube) is inserted into a blood vessel, most often in the groin area (the crease where the leg bends). The catheter is guided up the vein toward the heart and the cardiologist uses x-rays to help see the movement of the catheter.

Same day discharge is possible for most diagnostic and simple interventional cases, although most patients who undergo interventional procedures are admitted for overnight observation on our inpatient cardiac unit.