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Johannesburg, South Africa
| Speciality | Cardiac Sciences |
| Procedure | Angiography (Including Non-Ionic Contrast) |
| Success Rate | 90% |
| Recovery Time | few hours |
| Treatment Time | 30 mins - 1 hour |
| Chances of Recurrence | Moderate |
Angiography is an interventional procedure performed by skilled interventional cardiologists. The procedure is done to check the health of your blood vessels and how blood flows through them. During this procedure, the patient is usually given a local anesthetic to numb the area (groin or wrist). A small cut is made, and a catheter- a thin, long tube- is inserted into the artery to examine the blood vessels and blood flow. In most cases, a dye is injected into the blood vessels to better visualize them. A series of X-rays are taken and studied. After the procedure, the doctors cover the area with bandages and stitches. Patients are usually discharged on the same day of the procedure.
Angiography, including non-ionic contrast, is a valuable diagnostic tool used to identify various problems affecting the blood vessels. This may include diagnosing conditions such as atherosclerosis, a narrowing of the arteries that increases the risk of stroke or heart attack. Furthermore, angiography can detect brain aneurysms and assess peripheral arterial disease, which affects the blood supply to leg muscles, potentially preventing life-threatening complications. Angina, a chest pain caused by decreased blood flow to the heart muscles, blood clots, and pulmonary embolisms, which affect the artery supply to the lungs, are some of the other conditions that can be diagnosed using angiography. Angiography also aids in the detection of blockages in the blood supply to vital organs such as the kidneys. Angiography may also be used to aid in treatment planning for some of these conditions.
Angiography is an outpatient procedure. The patient is usually discharged on the same day of the procedure. There might be some bleeding and discomfort immediately after a catheter is removed. Your doctor may advise you to rest for a few days. You might also increase your water intake for a few days after the procedure to flush out any contrast agents from your body. Heavy lifting and strenuous activities must be avoided for a few days after the procedure. Soreness and bruising are common after the procedure for a few days. It gets better after 2-3 days.
