Cardiac Catheterization
Take a virtual tour of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab
St. Louis Children’s Hospital Cardiac Catheterization Lab (CCL) is a state of the art diagnostic and interventional facility specializing in the care of children with complex cardiac and pulmonary illnesses who require definitive diagnosis and/or therapeutic interventions. The lab is located on the 7th floor of St. Louis Children’s Hospital and houses two bi-plane procedure suites and adjacent cath prep and recovery are with dedicated expect staff providing high quality and personalized care.
Recognizing that our patients and families have unique needs, the cardiac cath lab strives to provide family-centered care by a collaborative team of practitioners. Parents and families are considered a vital member of the health care team and educating families while honoring racial, ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic diversity is a strong priority.
The CCL provides comprehensive diagnostic and interventional procedures for patients with complex heart and/or pulmonary disease. Diagnostic examinations account for approximately one half of all patients seen in the CCL. Patients utilizing these services have conditions such as congenital heart defects, cardiomyopathy, primary pulmonary hypertension and dysrhythmias. Procedures include right and left heart catheterization, cardiac biopsy, electrophysiology studies, and evaluations of the pulmonary circulation.
Interventional procedures account for the remainder of patients. These procedures include angioplasty, stenting, embolizations, septal defect closures, melody value placement, radio frequency ablation and cryoablation of abnormal pathways, pacemaker and ICD implants.
Our diverse staff also provides teaching for fellows, residents, medical, nursing and radiology students.
Patient Population
The population of this unit consists of patients from newborn through age twenty-one. Under special circumstances, patients greater than 21 years of age have procedures in the Children's Cath Lab. Patients having procedures in the cath lab are diagnosed with/or are undergoing:
- Congenital Heart disease
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Pre and post heart transplant
- Pre and post lung transplant
Cardiac Cath Lab Team
- Physicians
- Registered Nurses
- Charge Nurses
- Radiology Technologist
- Cardiac Cath Lab
- Technicians Child Life Therapists
- Nurse Practitioners
- Social Workers
- Scheduling Coordinator
- Transplant Coordinators
- Cath Lab Recovery Nurse
The day-to-day operation of the unit is facilitated by the charge nurse who displays leadership capabilities and clinical expertise. There are staff members in the cath lab consisting of Charge Nurses, Staff Nurses, Cardiac Cath Lab Recovery Team, Radiology Technologist, Cardiac Cath Lab Technicians, Nurse Practitioner and a Director of Nursing.
Cardiac Cath Lab Leadership Team
- Charge Nurses
- Physician Director
- Nurse Manager
- Clinical Nurse Educator
Continuing Education
Each nurse is both PALS and ACLS certified and must renew certification biannually. Nurses also complete unit competencies on an annual basis. In addition, all staff are Sedation certified.
Nursing Achievements
- Initiation of Midwest Pediatric Cardiology Nurses Association
- Pediatric Cardiology Nurses Association
- Certifications on this unit include Certified Nursing Administrator and Certified Pediatric Nurses.
