heart cath

why are they doing both right and left groins for heart cath?

[CCF HeartMD6]

Do you mean right and left heart caths from the groin? Or are you talking about a heart cath from both groins?

A left heart catheterization is a done in order to evaluate for any obstruction of the coronary arteries. This is usually done through accessing the femoral artery from the groin (either right or left). Depending on the situation, this can also be performed through an artery in the arm such as the brachial or radial artery. Doing a left heart cath from both groins at the same time would be unusual.

A right heart catheterization is a procedure in which a catheter (typically a pulmonary artery catheter, or Swan-Ganz catheter) is used to meausre pressures in the right side of the heart (right atrium, right ventricle, pulmonar artery, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure) and to calculate hemodynamics (cardiac index, mixed venous saturation). This is usually done through accessing the venous system either through the neck (via the internal jugular) or through the groni (femoral vein). If this is being done at the same time as a LHC, it is often done through the groin for convenience sake (area is already prepped and sterile).