Overview
Why Surveillance Changes After Cardiac Catheterization
A successful catheterization does not end the immediate risk.
A successful catheterization does not end the immediate risk. The procedure has created a vascular wound and may have involved contrast, anticoagulation, antiplatelet therapy and PCI. Post-procedure care is surveillance for bleeding, impaired limb perfusion, recurrent myocardial ischaemia, dysrhythmia and renal injury while haemostasis develops. Start by establishing the procedural baseline: identify the access route, determine whether PCI was performed, note the closure device and time of catheter removal, and review the ordered activity and compression precautions. Then compare trends rather than relying on a single reassuring observation. A clean dressing does not prove that circulation is stable or that bleeding is absent.