| Abstract: | The Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions has maintained a registry of cardiac catheterizations since 1979 and of percutaneous cardiac interventions since 1990. Data from 392,923 procedures (317,592 diagnostic catheterizations, 74,963 coronary interventions, and 368 valvuloplasties) for the years 199G1994 inclusive are presented. Over the 5 year period there was a trend toward same day and 23 hr discharges (19% in 1990 to 29% in 1994), and a decrease in combined right and left heart procedures from 38% to 26%. For cardiac catheterizations ionic contrast use declined from 26% of procedures to 13% in 1994. The use of ionic contrast was even lower in interventional procedures, with laboratories reporting use in 21% of procedures in 1990 dropping to 9% in 1994. Balloons were the first choice device in 92.5% of native arteries and 82.7% of grafts in 1994. For the first time in 1994 more mitral than aortic valvuloplasties were reported. |
