Cardiac Catheterization

Southcoast Hospitals perform more cardiac catheterizations than any other community hospital system in the state, providing this advanced service to more than 2,000 patients annually.

State-of-the-art cath labs at the St. Luke's and Charlton sites offer heart patients the same level of advanced diagnostic facilities available in Boston or Providence.

Cardiac catheterizations are performed when doctors suspect a serious heart vessel blockage. While viewing a computerized video screen, cardiologists are able to thread a thin catheter through an artery in the leg, maneuver the catheter up to the heart vessels and pinpoint blockages or other heart problems.

The test can define what type of further treatment is needed.