The angiography department at the Sourasky (Ichilov) Medical Center utilizes the most modern and effective methods for examinations and treatments – coronary angiography.
Any pathology or anomaly of the vessels supplying the heart inevitably leads to a severe condition for the patient; in some cases, the disease can persist for years, and sometimes a critical moment can occur immediately after the onset of the disease. Changes in the coronary (heart) vessels often lead to myocardial infarction, acute heart failure, arrhythmias, thermal states, coma, and, unfortunately, sometimes death. One of the causes of narrowing of the coronary vessels is atherosclerosis – this disease is the most common among heart pathologies, affecting the majority of heart patients.
Coronary angiography is a diagnostic method that most accurately and reliably shows all changes in the heart vessels. Thanks to the use of diagnostic angiography at the Sourasky (Ichilov) Medical Center, diseases are diagnosed at an early stage of development, allowing for immediate treatment to prevent blockage of the coronary vessel, remove a thrombus, or perform other optimal treatments. The diagnostic center at Sourasky (Ichilov) performs over five thousand angiography procedures (diagnostic and therapeutic) annually.
When is Coronary Angiography Indicated
Angiography is prescribed for any disturbances in the blood supply to the heart, with the decision made by the treating cardiologist, correlating the necessity of the procedure with the patient's condition; its complexity should not exceed the severity of the disease.
Emergency angiography of the coronary vessels is indicated in acute conditions: myocardial infarction, acute heart failure, unstable angina, chest pain at rest accompanied by altered ECG. Angiography for diagnosis and treatment in the first hours of a heart attack saves the patient's life. During the procedure, a balloon catheter is introduced into the vessel, and subsequent stenting of the affected area restores blood supply to the heart muscle, preventing the necrosis process from spreading, allowing the muscle to recover.
Elective angiography is prescribed for stable angina (pain occurs only under specific conditions: physical exertion, stress, etc.). Coronary angiography may be indicated if there is suspicion of vessel narrowing, especially if stress ECG changes suggest aortic narrowing, or in cases of frequent chest pain and pain behind the sternum, the etiology of which cannot be determined.
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Coronary Angiography – A Diagnostic Method
Angiography, as a diagnostic method, is widely used in the Sourasky (Ichilov) Medical Center. This method allows for the assessment of the condition of the coronary vessels. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. The principle of the method is the visualization of the vessel, its walls, and functionality. A thin catheter is inserted into the femoral artery or shoulder artery up to the suspected lesion site, and a contrast agent is injected through the catheter, filling the vessel. The result can be recorded using radiological imaging, CT, or 3D visualization. The entire procedure takes about 10 minutes, is completely painless and harmless. There may be slight pain at the site of the skin puncture, and a small amount of blood may be released. In half of the cases, the examination continues with therapeutic angiography, and often after the examination, effective medication treatment is selected for the patient. In rare cases of severe coronary vessel damage, bypass surgery may be indicated subsequently.
- Dysplasia of the right ventricle of the heart