Quality of work in catheterization laboratories: percutaneous coronary intervention

Over the past 40 years, we have witnessed a remarkable development of interventional cardiology. The steadily increasing number of interventions in the coronary arteries quickly led to the need for a preset, structured recording of work in catheterization laboratories (CLs) and the establishment of quality control mechanisms. National societies of cardiology have established registries that allow comparison of work between regional CLs as well as at the international level. The Societies have also published a number of recommendations, the implementation of which ensures adequate quality and safety of interventions. The current paper describes various approaches to ensuring the quality of work of CLs, the recommendations of the European Society of Cardiology and a description of the relevant situation in Slovenia.