Beauregard Health System's Heart Catheterization and Special Procedures Laboratory is home to the Philips Allura XPer FD20 state-of-the-art cardiac and vascular imaging suite.
Heart catheterization allows the physician to see the coronary arteries, which take blood into the heart. If the blockage is evident, further measures can be taken early to prevent a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular diseases.
Beauregard Health System proudly offers 24/7 cardiovascular services to Beauregard Parish and surrounding communities. Our highly trained professionals offer comprehensive treatment options for heart-related disorders at Beauregard Cardiology Center. Additionally, cardiologists are always on
call to respond to emergency treatment of cardiovascular conditions.
Angioplasty and stent insertion are among the treatment options now available at Beauregard Health System. For people with coronary artery disease, doctors may use this procedure to open arteries narrowed or blocked by plaque—a waxy substance that can build up in artery walls and reduce blood flow to the heart. Angioplasty and stenting restore blood flow and relieve a type of chest pain called
angina. These procedures can also help prevent a heart attack.
Localization
A doctor first uses a special dye to locate an artery's narrowed or blocked part. To deliver the dye, the doctor inserts a thin tube called a catheter into a small incision in the wrist or groin. Guided by x-rays, the cardiologist threads the catheter through the blood vessels to the heart.
Angioplasty
Once the blockage is identified, the cardiologist threads a thin wire through the vessel, followed by a deflated balloon. Once the balloon reaches the blockage, it is inflated to open
the artery.
Stent insertion
A wire mesh tube, a stent, is often inserted to help open the artery. The stent is wrapped around the balloon and expands with it to restore blood flow. The stent stays in place when the catheters are removed. Angioplasty and stent insertion can take between 30 minutes and two hours. It causes little pain, and patients usually receive sedation that leaves them sleepy during the procedure. An overnight hospital stay is usually required.