Cardiac disease in pregnancy catheterization

Pulmonary artery Catheterization
Hemodynamic monitoring can be of great help in managing high-risk patients during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the postpartum period.

The pulmonary artery line should be placed without fluoroscopic guidance. Insertion is recommended throughout labor and delivery for any patient with symptomatic cardiac disease during pregnancy or with the potential for deterioration due to valvular heart disease, myocardial, or ischemic heart disease. Hemodynamic monitoring should be continued for at least several hours after delivery to ensure stability.

Cardiac catheterization

 * Catheter ablation is indicated only in rare cases of intractable arrhythmia causing cardiac decompensation. This is because of the high radiation dose involved with catheterization (1.5 mGy).


 * To minimize radiation to the pelvic and abdominal areas, the following steps may be considered:
 * Radial approach rather than the femoral approach is preferred.
 * Shielding the gravid uterus.
 * Short fluoroscopic time.