Anesthesia in the cardiac catheterization laboratory and MRI
Modern pediatric cardiac catheterization laboratories (CCL) have become highly specialized units with an increasing focus on interventional procedures. Furthermore, the cardiac MRI examination is being increasingly used in the management of congenital heart disease patients. The following section will discuss the delivery of anesthesia in these two unique and challenging environments. Patients range from tiny infants to elderly adults, and the sedation needs from monitored anesthesia care to a general anesthetic. Familiarity to the CCL, safety awareness in the MRI suite, and a sound knowledge of the disease processes and procedure-specific requirements are critical to procedural success and safe outcomes. The anesthetic concerns and potential complications will be discussed for the most common procedures encountered in the CCL, for example, electrophysiological studies, valvuloplasties, defect occlusions, transcatheter valve insertion, angioplasty, and stent placement.
