Enter the Cath Lab: Exploring the Amazing World of the Heart and Blood Vessels

With the development of modern medicine, heart and blood vessel diseases have become a major health problem worldwide. In order to solve these problems, doctors have developed a magical method called "catheter technology". So, what is catheter technology? Catheter technology is a method of directly observing and treating the heart and blood vessels by inserting a thin catheter into the patient's body. This method not only allows doctors to understand the patient's condition more accurately, but also provides more effective treatment for patients. Today, let us walk into the catheter room and explore the wonderful world of the heart and blood vessels!

First, let's understand the basic structure and function of the heart. The heart is one of the most important organs in the human body. Its main function is to transport blood to all parts of the body through continuous contraction and relaxation. The heart is divided into four chambers: left and right atria and left and right ventricles. The left atrium is responsible for receiving oxygen-rich blood from the lungs, while the right atrium is responsible for receiving deoxygenated blood from all parts of the body. The left ventricle is the strongest chamber in the heart, pumping oxygen-rich blood to the whole body; while the right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs for oxygenation.

Under normal circumstances, the heart and vascular system work together to ensure smooth blood circulation. However, when problems occur in the heart or blood vessels, a series of serious diseases may occur, such as coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, etc. In order to solve these problems, doctors have developed catheter technology.

Catheter technology is a minimally invasive surgical method that directly observes and treats the heart and blood vessels by inserting a thin catheter into the patient's body. The length of the catheter is usually between a few centimeters and tens of centimeters, and the diameter is about 0.5 mm to 2 mm. One end of the catheter is connected to a high-definition camera that can transmit the condition of the heart and blood vessels to the monitor in real time, allowing the doctor to clearly observe the patient's condition. The other end is connected to various treatment devices, such as balloons, stents, radiofrequency ablators, etc., which can be used to perform corresponding treatments based on the patient's specific conditions.

The applications of catheter technology are very wide and cover almost all diseases related to the heart and blood vessels. The following are some common catheter procedures:

Coronary angiography: This is a procedure used to check for narrowing or blockage in the coronary arteries. The doctor will puncture the patient's thigh or wrist, insert a catheter into the coronary artery, and then inject a special contrast agent to make the coronary artery visible. By observing the flow of the contrast agent, the doctor can determine whether the coronary artery is narrowed or blocked, and formulate an appropriate treatment plan.

Balloon angioplasty: This is a procedure used to treat narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. The doctor will insert a catheter into the coronary artery through a puncture in the patient's thigh or wrist, and then pass a catheter with a balloon to the narrowed or blocked area. By inflating the balloon, the doctor can expand the narrowed or blocked blood vessel and restore blood flow. In some cases, the doctor will also place a metal stent in the expanded blood vessel to prevent the blood vessel from narrowing again.

In short, catheter technology is a magical method that allows us to directly observe and treat heart and blood vessel diseases. With the continuous development of medical technology, I believe that catheter technology will be more perfect in the future and bring good news to more patients. Let us look forward to this beautiful future together!