Kiko Rivera’s emergency operation has rocked the media this morning. After two instances in which Isabel Pantoja’s son had to be hospitalized in the last year, the music producer will have to undergo surgery on a third occasion. Adriana Dorronsoro has confirmed the news during the broadcast of El programa de Ana Rosa, detailing that Rivera would undergo heart surgery again. Specifically, he will undergo cardiac catheterization in Seville.
According to the information approved by the URAC, a non-profit organization that promotes quality in health care through certificates, cardiac catheterization is a procedure that consists of passing a thin and flexible tube, known as a catheter, up to the right or left side of the heart. The catheter is almost always inserted from the groin or arm to facilitate its access to the organ through the blood supply.
Before the examination, the cardiologist administers a calming medication to the patient to promote relaxation and dissipate nerves. Once reassured, the doctor is in charge of cleaning the specific area of ??the arm and inserting an intravenous line into one of the veins. From there, a slightly larger plastic tube, commonly known as a sheath, is placed inside the vein or artery in the leg or arm.
The last step is to pass the catheters into the heart using a live X-ray method to monitor it. This is known as fluoroscopy, and it allows the doctor to check different aspects of the heart. Among them, he can take blood samples, measure blood flow and pressure in the chambers and arteries, measure oxygen in different parts of the organ, go over the arteries thoroughly, or perform another procedure called a myocardial biopsy.
This optional task involves removing a tiny piece of heart muscle tissue so that the cardiologist can analyze it. Beyond this possibility, the examiner can also inject contrast, which can help you better see how the blood vessels and different structures within the heart work. In total, cardiac catheterization can last between 30 and 60 minutes, always taking into account the state of the organ and possible complications.
For example, there is the possibility of performing an angioplasty, an opening of the blood vessels of the heart, if there is some type of obstruction. There is also the option of placing the catheter in the groin, although afterwards the patient will have to lie flat on his back for a few hours to prevent the wound from bleeding. Once the process is finished, whatever has happened, the person in charge will give precise instructions to follow once you return home.
