Cardiac Catheterization in the Management of Pediatric Cardiac Patients at Assiut University Children Hospital ( A Descriptive Study)

Cardiac catheterization is of two types: diagnostic and interventional . There has been recent advances in these procedures.There is an over 10y experience at the pediatric cardiology unit in assiut University Children Hospital ( A.U.C.H ) catheterization department. The procedure usually follows other investigations used for evaluation of the pediatric cardiac patients e.g. chest X-ray , ECG and echocardiography. The role of cardiac catheterization may be in the diagnosis of congenital cardiac anomalies as well as in the follow up of repair of some cardiac anomalies . On the other hand, the indications for interventional cardiac catheterization may be repair of Atrial septal defect, Transposition of great arteries palliation with balloon septostomy ,blood vessel dilatation e.g. aortic stenosis and coarctation of the aorta . In addition Patent ductus arteriosus closure and others may be done by the interventional cardiac catheterization.