Peripheral arterial catheterization is a minimally invasive procedure used to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the arteries, such as blockages or narrowing due to atherosclerosis. A catheter is inserted into an artery, often in the wrist or groin, to deliver treatments like stents, balloons, or medications to improve blood flow.
Procedure Breakdown:
- Preparation:
- The patient is positioned, and the access site (wrist, arm, or groin) is sterilized.
- Local anesthesia is administered to numb the area.
- Artery Access:
- A small incision is made, and a sheath (a thin tube) is inserted into the artery.
- A catheter (a flexible, thin tube) is carefully guided into the artery using X-ray imaging (fluoroscopy).
- Diagnostic or Treatment Phase:
- For Diagnosis: Contrast dye is injected to visualize blockages or abnormalities on imaging.
- For Treatment:
- Angioplasty: A balloon is inflated to widen a narrowed artery.
- Stent Placement: A small mesh tube is inserted to keep the artery open.
- Thrombectomy: A clot-removal device may be used if needed.
- Completion:
- The catheter and sheath are removed.
- Pressure or a closure device is applied to prevent bleeding.
- Recovery:
- Patients are monitored for a few hours and may need to limit strenuous activity for a day or two.
- Most can return to normal activities quickly, depending on the procedure’s complexity.
Peripheral arterial catheterization is a vital procedure for diagnosing and treating artery-related conditions with minimal recovery time.
