As the Cubs continue to monitor Carlos Silva's heart condition, they've scheduled him for a procedure that will determine the next step that needs to be taken:
Chicago Cubs right-handed pitcher Carlos Silva will have a cardiac catheterization on Monday to determine if he needs a cardiac ablation, the team announced Friday.
What is a cardiac catheterization? Let's ask the AHA!
This is a procedure to examine blood flow to the heart and test how well the heart is pumping. A doctor inserts a thin plastic tube (catheter) (KATH'eh-ter) into an artery or vein in the arm or leg. From there it can be advanced into the chambers of the heart or into the coronary arteries.
In the event that Silva does need a cardiac ablation, it's worth noting that Mark DeRosa had such a procedure done in 2008 and returned within two weeks. A cardiac ablation is a fairly non-invasive procedure in which a catheter is introduced to the heart to destroy a small amount of troublesome tissue that is interfering with normal heart rhythms.