|
Catheterization:
During cardiac catheterization, the
physician inserts a catheter (a thin, hollow tube) into the vein(s)
in the leg and moves it up to the heart. The catheter is used
to take pictures of the different chambers of the heart and the
defect. Balloons on the catheter are used to measure the size
of the defect, as well as blood flow and pressure.
|
|
Device Placement:
|
|
After taking measurements, the device is folded into the
delivery system, inserted into a vein in the leg,
and gently pushed up through the hole in the heart.
|
|
|
The umbrella arms are slowly pushed out of the catheter.
A set of arms opens on each side of the hole to
cover and close it.
|
|
|
Once the device is in proper position, it is
released from the catheters. The catheters are
removed, but the device remains in the heart
permanently.
|
|
|
The cardiac catheterization takes several hours.
|
|
|
