Cath lab nightmares : Beware, this one has no simple cure !

Cath lab nightmares may be a cliche word for all of us. Still, It has become a mandatory topic in any cardiology conferences and live workshops. These sessions are always popular and crowded as Interventional cardiologists are eager to get tips from other experts,  on what to and what not to do in the cath lab in crisis situations. While stuck in an unexpected problem, these tips really help us come out of this, with shared expertise, presence of mind, skills, innovation, etc.  I used to wonder, what the word nightmare really mean. Thesaurus helped to find it. Nightmare: A Terrifying feeling due to some untoward event or unacceptable happening either in the dreams or in front of you for real.  If we apply this definition in the cath lab, one nightmare never seems to enter our cognizance or find any space for discussion in any of the major cardiology workshops. It can be called a moral nightmare. The irony is, though it is an extremely common condition, still, only the rarest of a rare cardiologist experience it. Getting curious? I asked three of my esteemed colleagues this question. How common, do you think is PCI done with a class 3 Indication in any cath lab in our country? (As recommended In ACC/ESC guidelines ) There was absolutely no hesitation in them when they said it crossed 50% long ago and it is marching proudly towards 60 0r even 70 %. ( They clarified further, Late post-STEMI PCIs, PCI for stable CAD, and CTOs contribute to the bulk of these ) I wasn...
Source: Dr.S.Venkatesan MD - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs