Heart Catheterization
 

Anyone have experience with Dr. Mikkilineni or Cardiovascular Institute of Central Florida? I am having a heart cath and nervous about having an invasive procedure not done in a hospital - being done at doctor's main office in Ocala - not much explanation - watched a video on Webb MD and scary.

The questions I would ask is if there is a problem how quickly can I get you to the nearest facility that could do it possible open-heart. Is this a true heart hospital. Or is this just an office setting. Not saying that something could go wrong but I want my possibilities if there is a problem to be rectified immediately.

I'd want to be in a hospital.

Me too. A large teaching hospital who does at least 30 a day.

I had one done in a hospital. This was after a false positive stress test. Perfect example of over-testing and over-treatment.

Get a second opinion.

I had a cath procedure done by a local doctor in his clinic, and ended up taking an ambulance ride to the hospital. After a weeks on blood thinners, as they tried to dissolve the resultant blood clots, I spent the next year relearning to walk.

I would suggest you first determine if you really need the procedure (The body works to repair itself on a daily basis). If you must go ahead with the cath, have it done in a major, reliable, full service hospital.

Good Luck!

Something invasive as that would tell me I would want to be in a hospital (i.e. Munroe Regional Medical Center-top rated for heart surgeries by a leading consumer magazine August 2014 issue pg.32). Perhaps this doctor does not have admitting privileges. I certainly would get a second opinion. I've had two heart attacks and I've instructed my wife that Munroe would be the only place I would want to go if something happened God forbid. Hope this helps with your decision. God speed and best of luck to you.

Get a second opinion! My husband had one in a clinic in Ocala and was told later by two cardiologists that they did not see that one was indicated!

even without knowing the facts/details of the case I still do not consider anything as invasive as entering the heart to be office work. There are far too many things that have potential to go astray.

There must be varying degrees of "catheterization" that "allow" some to be not done in a hospital environment.

For me it would be hospital.

Lots of doctors have surgical suites in their offices so that wouldn't necessarily put me off. Is the doctor considering putting in a stent if indicated during the catheterization? That might give me pause. I'd also recommend speaking to the anesthesiologist beforehand to confirm his/her qualifications.

Good luck and try not to worry too much. It's generally an easy procedure with a low percentage of complications.

did you try having a PET SCAN. I just had one, this is suppossed to tell jut as much as a cath. Some insurance won't pay but I have Blue cross and they did.

Only real difference I was told is that with a cath they can fix a small problems during the test, with a PET its only a study.
You might ask?.. PET is not invasive.

If a stint is needed it's going to have to be in a hospital. But they won't know until they do the heart Cath . As for the anesthesiologist even in a hospital setting Your drugs are given by typically the nurse on staff using versed or fentanyl. Sometimes you may get a CRNA. But it's not typical.

Heart caths are big money makers for doctors and studies have shown that on patients with no previous heart problem history, 60% of heart caths performed are unwarranted. I overheard a couple of docs in a country club locker room bragging about how many caths they had each done that day.

In a typical cath lab thirty is about the average..your stress test is usually what warrants the cath. It's not really bragging about how many they do...almost all of their patients are referred..and if they need to be done I have seen many a doctor work well into the night..yep some do not need an intervention, but those who are 90% blocked are very happy that that doctor was there to save them from a stroke or worse