An angiogram involves:
Takes place in the Cath Lab; not a theatre. The staff will be gowned and gloved, but not masked.
Their will be a big C-Ring live X-Ray machine that will swing round his torso.
He'll have a wee tube inserted in his wrist for fluids etc. he can opt for a smidge of sedative.
He'll be connected to an ECG machine via stickers on his chest.
He'll wear a gown and.......... paper knickers.
At the start of the procedure, his gown will be lifted, the paper knckers torn on one side and his groin shaved by a nurse. Area disinfected.
He'll be given a local anaesthetic.
Gory bit..... big whopping needle and plastic tube stuck into his femoral artery. (upper inside thigh). If he is deffo having angioplasty they may opt for the wrist artery (young, modern cardiologists should be skilled in this).
The cardiologist will then thread a v thin wire up into the artery and feed it up across the arteries of his heart. Radio oqaque dye will also be injected and pics taken via the C-Ring.
Voila. Back to ward with a pressure dressing on the leg. Your DH will have to lie flat for a few hours.
Your DH may be consented to permit the cardiologist to go staright to angioplasty. i.e. if they find a blockage they will fix it there and then. This depends on the hospital. If the angiogram is being done in a bog standard DGH, they cannot do angioplasty. Some v large DGHs do have angioplasty facilities.
Risks of angiograms? V little. Injecting the dye to briskly into the right coronary artery can cause spasm and a cardia arrest, but this is a common, recognised complication that a skilled cardiologist will be aware of, and go out of his way to avoid.