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The Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center and Vascular Center welcome you to the Knight Center for Interventional Cardiovascular Therapy. Chartered in 1811, Mass General Hospital was established as a general hospital serving the greater Boston area. Today, Mass General’s reputation for outstanding medical care attracts patients from all over the United States and abroad. The practice of cardiology at Mass General Hospital began in 1914 under the leadership of Dr. Paul Dudley White. Since that time, cardiac services have flourished and expanded to include state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment of the full spectrum of cardiovascular disorders. Our goal is to offer patients the most complete and advanced methods for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cardiovascular disease. One major advance in cardiology has been the introduction of cardiac catheterization for definitive diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. Cardiac catheterization was first performed at Mass General Hospital in 1949. With significant advances in technology, it has become the leading method for both diagnosing and treating many cardiovascular diseases. At the Knight Center for Interventional Cardiovascular Therapy, you will benefit from one of the most technologically advanced cardiovascular catheterization laboratories in the world. This facility offers a highly specialized staff and an excellent environment for both state-of-the-art cardiovascular care and innovative procedures to treat patients with a variety of heart and vascular diseases.
As you prepare for your catheterization, we want you to feel as comfortable as possible. To help you understand what to expect during your visit, this booklet describes key steps of your catheterization procedure. Please take time to read this information and use it as a reference prior to your admission and during your hospital stay. We want you to feel comfortable at all times to express to our staff any questions or concerns regarding your procedure.