Threading of a flexible tube (catheter) through a channel in the body to inject drugs or a contrast medium , measure and record flow and pressures, inspect structures, take samples, diagnose disorders, or clear blockages.
A cardiac catheter, passed into the heart through an artery or vein (the incision is often in the groin), can also carry pacemaker electrodes. A bladder catheter goes through the urethra into the bladder.