Catheterization Lab Services

At the Norma Melchor Heart & Vascular Institute at El Camino Health, our heart and vascular specialists use a variety of minimally invasive techniques to diagnose and treat heart and vascular conditions using catheter-based techniques — which lower the risk of complications. These same-day treatments can also offer a solution for people who aren’t able to undergo traditional surgery.

To perform cardiac catheterization, your doctor makes a small incision in your upper thigh or arm and inserts a catheter — a thin, flexible tube — into a large blood vessel that leads to your heart. Your doctor may use cardiac catheterization to examine how well your heart is functioning, identify problems and open blocked arteries — including lifesaving treatment for heart attacks.

Our interventional cardiologists, radiologists and vascular surgeons work together to offer minimally invasive options to treat heart and vascular conditions. They perform a wide range of procedures in our cardiac catheterization lab, including:

• Angioplasty, atherectomy and stenting
• Carotid artery stenting
• Peripheral vascular procedures
• Valve repair and replacement
• Heart rhythm disorders treatment