Surgery in Cleveland - Where to have heart cath?

[VegasBAV]

I'll be traveling to Cleveland for surgery in a few months. I need to have heart cath done before the surgery. I have tentatively agreed to have that procedure done in Cleveland as well. They told me I could have it done in my hometown if I wanted to, but I figured it would be better to have them do it.

I have never has a heart cath before, and I'm not sure if there really is a benefit to having it done in Cleveland. The proposed schedule I got from Cleveland is now going to require me to be in Clevleand for almost a week before my surgery for the heart cath, routine tests the day before the heart cath, and intervening weekends, pre-op stuff, consultation, etc.

If I have the heart cath done locally I could probably reduce my required pre-surgery days in Cleveland from six to about two.

So is it worth it to have the heart cath done in Cleveland if it means four extra days cooped up in the hotel, or should I just have it done in my hometown?

 

[Lionheart]

I had my cath done by my cardiologist in my hometown, but at the time he probably thought I was going to have my surgery locally as well. Cleveland did not seem to mind the cath. being done off site and I had it done a few months before my surgery so I was healed up from that before my surgery. I traveled to Cleveland a few weeks before surgery for several of the other tests they do like CT scan, x-rays, blood work, and surgical consult, then returned home for my final preparations and flew back to Cleveland the day before my surgery. Frequent flyer miles helped.
John

 

[VegasBAV]

Yes, they want me to have a chest x ray, blood work, and ekg as well. they said they I can't have the heart cath done locally, but they want the chest x-ray, blood work, and ekg done in cleveland. I have no idea why, those things seem routine

 

[Jkm7]

If they have approved and agreed to accept results from a cath done locally, if you have trust in a local interventionalist, then by all means have your cath done locally.

They want the ekg, chest x-ray etc done in their own facility as they like for their known techs etc to do the work. Blood work usually needs to be done day before in order to be current and reliable. If you have been instructed to stop aspirin therapy, for example, they want to know exactly the level of aspirin in your blood at the time of surgery, not what it was a week ago. (bleeding concerns)

 

[RTZdad]

I had my heart cath done here in Denver prior to my surgery in Cleveland. I recommend getting it done ASAP so that you are healed up before your surgery. One less thing to worry about. The test isn't too bad at all.

Tom

 

[Lionheart]

I've had a lot of Echos in the last few years, but the most thorough of them all was done by the echo technician at Cleveland Clinic. She said the surgeon wanted specific video, pictures, and measurements and she took great strides to get them all done exactly right. I was impressed!

John