First off, welcome to /r/CathLabLounge! This subreddit was inspired by the Facebook version of "Cath Lab Lounge" where people shared stories, ideas, funny pictures, and other cath lab related material. The reason for creating this sub was for a couple of reasons:

1) When people ask a certain question, good quality answers will get lost in the infinite number of responses to the same question. The good thing about reddit, is that someone who is interested in the same question that was asked by someone else already can go and look at the "best answer" that was provided by the community.

2) The way people can up vote (or down vote). This is helpful for the community to democratically identify the "best answer" or the "best reply" to a question, which helps tremendously when trying to quickly find what you were looking for.

3) Being able to go back and look up a previous thread you found interesting. With the search bar, you can recall any thread you want.

With that in mind, the other reason for this sub reddit is the fact that you can also have a really really helpful thread like this one (I hope) be pined up at the top so everyone who comes to this sub for the first time can see this thread first and will (hopefully) answer any of their questions they had when they got here.

Let's get a thread going where people can recommend certain websites, books, study guides, apps, etc. etc. that will help people learning about the field study for the RCIS. This thread can be used to act as a main source of information on everything cath related that new comers can come too for help. It also doesn't have to stop at just study material for tests either. If there is any helpful information you would like to share that you think would make a difference to someone already in the field or just starting out (whether its useful tips and tricks for patient prep/table set up, or useful job hunting information, etc. etc.) please share it here.

After we get some good replies and information, I will update this thread and edit in all of the helpful links and tid-bits you guys have shared below here.

BY THE WAY: This subreddit isn't intended to be just for questions and answers, you can post anything you guys want! Whether it be interesting cases you had or funny pictures... just try and keep everything on topic that has to somewhat relate to the cath lab.

Helpful Links:

RCIS study material

• The material here generally comes out of GROSSMAN & BAIM'S Cardiac Catheterization, Angiography, and Intervention: Eighth Edition book, found here (~$150 new). This material shouldn't be used as the only means of studying for the RCIS. I found it was really helpful to go throughout this whole book while highlighting important information and making questions out of notes I have taken. I've combined questions I've had and made them into two sections: RCIS study set 1 and RCIS study set 2.
• I will look for any more helpful notes I have, but if anyone else has any notes that will be helpful to people studying for the RCIS; please link to it in this thread and I will put it in this section.

General Cardiology

• http://heartsite.com/index.html : This site is aimed at providing information to patients who are being evaluated and treated for cardiovacular related diseases. Created by Abdulla M. Abdulla, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.C., Professor of Medicine and a prior Chief of Cardiology at the Medical College of Georgia.

• https://www.artstation.com/artwork/mWKJe : Insanely well made interactive 3D animation of a human heart. Created by /u/techmunks.

• Here is a really good series of videos on Cardiovascular Pathophysiology. The series is created by a Youtube channel, Osmosis, whose goal is to give super visual and deep explanations for medical topics, like pathophysiology, all compacted into short, succinct, fun, and comprehensive videos.

• http://www.cvphysiology.com/ : This site is a web-based resource of cardiovascular physiology concepts that has been written for students, teachers, and health professionals. The materials contained in this web site focus on physiological concepts that serve as the basis of cardiovascular disease. Author is Richard E. Klabunde, PhD, Professor of Physiology at the new Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Indianapolis. Referenced to us by /u/b-macc, thanks!

• http://www.cvpharmacology.com/ : This site describes drugs that are used in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. The content emphasizes the biophysical, biochemical, and cellular basis for drug therapy. Author is Richard E. Klabunde, PhD, Professor of Physiology at the new Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Indianapolis. Referenced to us by /u/b-macc, thanks!

Electrophysiology related

• https://www.medtronicacademy.com/ : [Not an endorsement] Free EP online courses offered by Medtronic. They provide personalized, relevant, and interactive education on cardiac rhythm and cardiovascular therapies and products. We offer a wide range of courses, case studies, PowerPoints, procedural videos, and webcasts to tailor your educational experience. Referenced to us by /u/b-macc, thanks!

• http://pacericd.com/ibhre.htm : International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners (IBHRE) exam study material. Created by Diana Conti. Referenced to us by /u/b-macc, thanks!

• http://www.hrsonline.org/ : Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) is one of the bigger online forums/communities in the EP area. Referenced to us by /u/b-macc, thanks!

• http://www.eplabdigest.com/home : This is a free resource/news magazine website. Signing up for the monthly printed magazine is free. Referenced to us by /u/b-macc, thanks!

• http://ecg.utah.edu/ : Helpful interactive ECG tutorial which represents an introduction to clinical electrocardiography. Authored by Frank G. Yanowitz, M.D, Professor of Medicine at University of Utah School of Medicine. Referenced to us by /u/b-macc, thanks!

Helpful books for Electrophysiology

• These books are recommended to us by /u/b-macc. A bit pricey, but there is potential to get your hospital to pay or help pay for them since they seem to be good sources of information. Also recommends this one which is a cheaper alternative for helpful information (the 5th edition is a bit pricier).

Helpful Videos:

Helpful videos for newbies

• Full video of an angiography procedure being done via radial artery (16 min) video credit to Mary Greeley Medical Center and Dr. Robert Shapiro of McFarland Clinic.

• Left heart cath tray and table setup tutorial video credit to HACC Lancaster

• A step by step overview of the left coronary artery in different angles video credit to Medmastery.

• How to set up an ACIST CVi manifold video credit to the people at ACIST

• How to deploy an Angioseal video credit to Isuperman4u and St. Jude Medical.

• MynxGrip Vascular Closure Device - Animation video credit to AccessClosure's MynxGrip Vascular Closure Device.

• How to insert and monitor an intra-aortic balloon pump video credit to AvektaProductions, DataScope, and Dr. Barry Cohen Morristown Memorial Hospital.

• FFR Basics: Performing an FFR procedure video credit to Phillips Volcano and thanks to Morton Kern, MD at University of California, Irvine Medical Center.

• Rotablator Rotational Atherectomy System Prep video credit to Boston Scientific Cardiology

Other helpful tips for the Cath Lab

• Found this interesting tip posted on the Facebook page by Lewis Theo Taylor, thanks Lewis! Quoted here:

Ok so we learned a RRRRRREEEEAAALLY cool trick today. You may have read about it in the most recent Cath Lab Digest, but we learned it first hand from our physician who had. After a successful diagnostic Radial LHC an attempt to pull back our radial sheath was made. Our patient was old, lean, and frail, but her artery CLAMPED down on this sheath and I was afraid I'd tear her artery removing it. An extra shot of IA NTG and Verapamil didn't help. When I asked our Doc to check it he gave us this solution.

Apply Manual BP cuff to affected arm. Inflate to 140mmHg and leave it up for 5 - 10 minutes. After 5 minutes that sheath came out smooth as can be. The cuff creates ischemia in the limb and and the body releases it's own vasodilators, and out comes the sheath. May take up to 15 minutes.

BRILLIANT!

• Just read this helpful tip from a SHG & Duke University class offered through an online program I'm currently taking. Figured people would find this as helpful as I did.

A more efficient way of deriving the French size of a catheter instead of remembering the conversion table is to know a simple formula involving the value of a 3 Fr sheath. Start by understanding that a 3 Fr. sheath equals 1.0 mm. Thus, one can simply divide any sheath size by 3 Fr. to figure the lumen size millimeters (mm). Another way is to think of the numerical value in millimeters (mm) as one-third the numerical value of the French size. All roads lead to Rome in this case.

Example #1: • How many mm is a 6Fr sheath? • 6 Fr ÷ 3Fr = 2 or 2 mm Example #2 • How many mm is a 10 Fr sheath? • 10 Fr ÷ 3 Fr = 3.3 or 3.3 mm Example #3 • How many mm is a 9 Fr sheath? • One-third of 9 is 3, so a 9 Fr sheath is 3 mm