CATH LAB – sreemookambika.edu.in

Overview

Overview The Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab) at Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS) is a state-of-the-art facility designed for advanced invasive diagnostic and interventional cardiology procedures. The Cath Lab plays a crucial role in the early diagnosis and treatment of complex cardiovascular diseases, enabling minimally invasive procedures that significantly improve patient outcomes. The unit is supported by a team of experienced interventional cardiologists, cardiac anesthetists, trained technicians, and dedicated nursing staff, with continuous backup from the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (ICCU) and Cardiothoracic Surgery team for comprehensive cardiac care.

Overview

The Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab) at Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS) is a state-of-the-art facility designed for advanced invasive diagnostic and interventional cardiology procedures. The Cath Lab plays a crucial role in the early diagnosis and treatment of complex cardiovascular diseases, enabling minimally invasive procedures that significantly improve patient outcomes.The unit is supported by a team of experienced interventional cardiologists, cardiac anesthetists, trained technicians, and dedicated nursing staff, with continuous backup from the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (ICCU) and Cardiothoracic Surgery team for comprehensive cardiac care.

Clinical Milestone

The Cardiology Department at Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS) achieved a major milestone in 2025 by successfully completing 16,161 cardiac procedures, reflecting the department’s growing expertise and the trust placed in our cardiac care services by patients across the region.

This milestone includes a wide spectrum of diagnostic cardiac catheterizations, coronary angiograms, angioplasties, device implantations, electrophysiology procedures, and structural heart interventions performed in the Cath Lab.

The achievement highlights the dedication of the interventional cardiology team, cardiac surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and technical staff, supported by advanced infrastructure and round-the-clock critical care services.

This accomplishment stands as a testament to SMIMS’ commitment to delivering advanced, accessible, and high-quality cardiac care to the people of South Tamil Nadu.

Invasive Cardiac Diagnostic Studies

The Cath Lab provides a wide range of invasive diagnostic procedures essential for accurate evaluation of cardiovascular diseases, including:

Right and left heart catheterization
Coronary angiography for evaluation of coronary artery disease
Hemodynamic assessment of cardiac chambers and valves
Great vessel angiography
Electrophysiology (EP) studies for evaluation of complex cardiac arrhythmias

These diagnostic studies help determine the most appropriate treatment strategy for patients with structural heart disease, coronary artery disease, and rhythm disorders.

Advanced Interventional Cardiology Procedures

The department performs a comprehensive range of minimally invasive therapeutic interventions including:

Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) for single and multi-vessel coronary artery disease
Complex coronary angioplasty, including bifurcation lesion interventions
Deployment of bare-metal, drug-eluting, and biodegradable stents
Rotational atherectomy (Rotablator) for heavily calcified coronary lesions
Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) for precise intravascular imaging and optimal stent deployment
Balloon valvuloplasty for mitral and pulmonary valve stenosis
Pericardiocentesis for emergency management of pericardial effusion
Device closure procedures for congenital heart defects such as ASD and PDA

Cardiac Rhythm and Electrophysiology Procedures

The Cath Lab also supports advanced management of cardiac rhythm disorders through:

Electrophysiology (EP) studies for diagnosis of arrhythmias
Radiofrequency ablation for supraventricular tachycardia and other rhythm disorders
Permanent pacemaker implantation – single chamber and dual chamber systems
Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD) for life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT-P and CRT-D) for advanced heart failure

Structural Heart and Advanced Interventions

For selected high-risk patients, the department also performs advanced structural heart procedures such as:

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI / TAVR)
Device-based correction of structural heart defects
Advanced heart failure device therapies

Peripheral Vascular and Endovascular Procedures

In addition to coronary interventions, the Cath Lab at SMIMS performs a variety of peripheral vascular and endovascular procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases affecting arteries and veins outside the heart.

These procedures include:

Peripheral angiography for evaluation of arterial diseases affecting the limbs and peripheral circulation
Peripheral angioplasty and stenting for treatment of peripheral arterial disease
Endovascular embolization procedures for control of abnormal bleeding and vascular malformations
Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filter placement for prevention of pulmonary embolism in high-risk patients
Diagnostic and therapeutic vascular interventions for complex vascular conditions

These minimally invasive procedures allow effective treatment with reduced surgical trauma, faster recovery, and improved clinical outcomes.

Integrated Cardiac Care

The Cath Lab functions as part of the comprehensive cardiac care program at SMIMS, working closely with Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cardiac ICU, Emergency Medicine, and Diagnostic Imaging services to ensure rapid diagnosis, immediate intervention, and optimal long-term cardiac care.