Most likely your child also will be given a sedative that will make him or her sleepy and relaxed for the test. During the catheterization your child will be cared for by a team of nurses, doctors and technicians. You won't see your child at this time. Every effort will be made to prevent anxiety and make your child feel comfortable. The catheterization test usually causes little discomfort.
Most patients sleep during the entire test.
In the procedure, a catheter is inserted into a vein or artery. While your cardiologist watches by special X-ray technique, the catheter is slowly moved until it reaches the heart. Your cardiologist can learn about the defect by taking blood samples and measuring blood pressures through the catheter. After that, an X-ray motion picture is recorded. This procedure, called angiocardiography, defines the heart defect.