Cathlab
A catheterization laboratory or cath lab is an examination room in a hospital. This is a diagnostic imaging equipment used to visualize the arteries of the heart and chambers of the heart to treat any stenosis or abnormality found.
STAR Hospital catheterization laboratories are "single plane" facilities, those that have a single X-ray generator source and an image intensifier. Older cath labs used cine film to record the information obtained, but since 2000, most new facilities are digital. The latest digital cath labs are biplane (have two X-ray sources) and digital, flat panel labs.
Cardiac CathLab in the STAR Hospital.
A typical 'Cath Lab' will consist of:
- Patient Couch
- A floor or ceiling mounted Image intensifier
- Set of viewing monitors
- Realtime ECG/Blood pressure/Oxygen Saturation measurements with software to record and measure these when needed
- Injector Pump used for imaging the Left Ventricle or Aorta
- X-ray software for the recording and playback of the Fluoroscopy runs acquired during the procedure
- Diagnostic Catheters
- Guide catheters
- Guidewires
- Angioplasty balloons
- Stents (drug eluting and bare metal)
- Sheaths
- Closure devices
- General nursing supplies
- Defibrillator
- Drugs
- Recovery bays
- Reporting station
- Scrub area