How long does cardiac catheterization take to perform?

From a patient's perspective, the cardiac catheterization procedure generally begins with the patient registering at the registration desk of the cardiac catheterization lab. The patient is then brought back to the admission unit, where he is prepared for the procedure. This could include placing an IV in his arm as well as prepping and shaving the groin or arm area, depending on where the cardiac catheterization will be performed. After this, the patient is brought back to the catheterization laboratory, generally given mild sedation, and the procedure itself takes generally no longer than 15-30 minutes. The patient is then brought back to the recovery unit, where the catheter is removed. The patient is then observed for several hours and then released. Occasionally, the procedure will be combined with additional therapeutic procedures such as coronary intervention, which will then lengthen the procedure generally by one hour.