< Arkansas Children's Heart Institute

Cardiac Catheterization Lab  (Cath Lab)

Avoid traditional open surgery and experience less time under anesthesia, faster recovery, and shorter hospital stay.

Since their introduction nearly 100 years ago, cath labs are tools used to effectively diagnose and treat cardiovascular conditions. In most cases, cath labs give interventionalists and their patients a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery. As a result, procedures performed in the cath lab often result in less time under anesthesia, faster recovery, and shorter hospital stays.

In early 2021, the Arkansas Children’s Heart Institute opened two highly advanced biplane cath labs with a hybrid cath lab, becoming the first pediatric hospital in the world to utilize the Siemens ARTIS Icono technology. This modular, high-precision angiography system provides two-dimensional and three-dimensional imaging and gives our teams unprecedented flexibility and visibility while performing procedures. 

The cath labs also provide a space for our electrophysiology team to address the heart’s electrical system problems. This includes electrophysiology studies to diagnose and ablate abnormal electrical pathways and minimally invasive implantation of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs).

Heart Icon

The 600+ cases we treat in our state-of-the-art cath labs result in less time under anesthesia and faster recovery. 

Exceptional outcomes

From diagnostic to interventional to electrophysiology tests and procedures, our specially trained team performs more than 600 cardiac catheterization procedures each year. This consistently high volume of cases has given our team the best possible experience to provide exceptional outcomes. Explore Outcomes

A focus on quality and safety

Under the direction of Pediatric Cardiac Cath Lab Medical Director, Dr. Michael Angtuaco, our experienced interventional cardiologists perform both simple and complex interventions for pediatric heart disease and, in cooperation with cardiovascular surgeons, treat patients from premature neonates to adults.
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Arkansas Children’s cath lab is in the top 95th percentile of low radiation exposure for our patients, creating the highest quality images while controlling radiation dose.

24/7

Arkansas Children’s has two state-of-the-art digital angiographic suites, available 24 hours a day for emergent procedures.

Using small incisions, tiny instruments and digital imaging, interventional cardiologists diagnose and treat complex conditions, including pediatric congenital and acquired conditions (including tetralogy of Fallot, VSD, Ebstein, COA), pediatric pulmonary hypertension, and adult congenital heart disease.

Procedures include:

  • Balloon or stent angioplasty of stenotic vessels
  • Balloon valvuloplasty of stenotic pulmonary and aortic valves
  • Atrial septostomy utilizing needle, balloon, stent, blade and radiofrequency techniques
  • Coil and device embolization of collateral vessels
  • Percutaneous device closures of patent ductus arteriosus, patent foramen ovale, atrial septal defects and ventricular septal defects
  • Hybrid interventions involving the collaboration of interventional cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons
  • Non-surgical pulmonary valve replacement with the Melody™ Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve
  • Electrophysiology study with three-dimensional mapping utilizing EnSite™ NavX™ technology
  • Radiofrequency and cryocatheter ablation of complex arrhythmias
  • Pacemaker and defibrillator implantations
  • Myocardial biopsy
  • Impella, Micra pacers, and subcutaneous ICD implantation

Cardiac catheterization uses a long, flexible tube or catheter that is inserted into a vein or artery through a small incision. The tube is guided into the heart or other areas for diagnosis or correcting structural problems.

With a focus on quality and safety, our experienced interventional cardiologists perform hundreds of cardiac catheterization procedures each year.

A Look Inside The Cardiac Catheterization Lab (Cath Lab) at Arkansas Children's Hospital

Arkansas Children’s offers cardiac catheterization (cardiac caths) as an option to treat children with complex congenital heart conditions. Cardiac caths are used to avoid traditional open surgery and offer the patient less time under anesthesia, faster recovery, and shorter hospital stays. These procedures are performed in cardiac catheterization labs (cath lab). Arkansas Children’s has two state-of-the-art digital angiographic suites, available 24 hours a day for emergent procedures.

With a focus on quality and safety, our experienced interventional cardiologists perform hundreds of cardiac catheterization procedures each year.

How to make an appointment

This clinic is available to your child by physician referral. Talk with your child's physician and tell him/her you would like to be referred to Arkansas Children's. Have the doctor contact the Arkansas Children's Appointment Center to make a referral at 501-236-4971. If your child does not have a regular physician, please call 501-236-4971 and we will be happy to recommend one in your area.

The cath labs are located on the same floor as our cardiovascular intensive care unit and cardiac operating rooms to minimize transport time for critical patients. The addition of a short-term, pre-and post-anesthesia patient-care area allows for a single point of entry and discharge for same-day procedures, enhancing safety and patient experience.