[Perforation of the pulmonary artery following Swan-Ganz catheterization]. 1988

G Hartmann, and A Steib, and B Ludes, and J Ravanello
Service d'Anesthésie et de Réanimation Chirurgicale, Hôpital de Hautepierre, Strasbourg.

Pulmonary arterial rupture due to the use of a Swan-Ganz catheter is a rare accident, with an estimated 2% incidence rate. It is fatal in almost 50% of cases. Predisposing factors are age greater than 60 years, pulmonary arterial hypertension and anticoagulant treatment. In patients older than 60 years, changes in the arterial wall increase the risk of rupture; pulmonary hypertension leads to too distal a movement of the catheter, and a concomitant treatment with anticoagulant drugs increases the amount of blood lost. Handling errors when setting up the catheter are often the cause of these accidents, especially a balloon too blown up and a catheter pushed too far. A subsequent movement of the catheter can be a cause of rupture during cardiac surgery. Haemoptysis is the major symptom of this accident, being found in 90% of cases. It can however be of minor importance; if it is ignored, this can lead to a secondary overwhelming haemorrhage. The haemorrhage can be life-threatening because of the cardiovascular collapse and acute respiratory failure by asphyxia. The treatment can only be carried out in intensive care. It will depend on the severity of the accident. It can go from an expectant wait after partial or total removal of the catheter, to an emergency thoracotomy for vascular suture, segmentectomy or even lobectomy. Intermediate measures include turning the patient onto the healthy side, injecting adrenaline or a clot of the patient's blood by the distal end of the catheter, placing a Fogarty catheter in the affected bronchus, or tracheal intubation with a double-lumen catheter and using mechanical ventilation with PEEP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006976 Hypertension, Pulmonary Increased VASCULAR RESISTANCE in the PULMONARY CIRCULATION, usually secondary to HEART DISEASES or LUNG DISEASES. Pulmonary Hypertension
D007049 Iatrogenic Disease Any adverse condition in a patient occurring as the result of treatment by a physician, surgeon, or other health professional, especially infections acquired by a patient during the course of treatment. Hospital-Acquired Condition,Condition, Hospital-Acquired,Conditions, Hospital-Acquired,Disease, Iatrogenic,Diseases, Iatrogenic,Hospital Acquired Condition,Hospital-Acquired Conditions,Iatrogenic Diseases
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011175 Positive-Pressure Respiration A method of mechanical ventilation in which pressure is maintained to increase the volume of gas remaining in the lungs at the end of expiration, thus reducing the shunting of blood through the lungs and improving gas exchange. Positive End-Expiratory Pressure,Positive-Pressure Ventilation,End-Expiratory Pressure, Positive,End-Expiratory Pressures, Positive,Positive End Expiratory Pressure,Positive End-Expiratory Pressures,Positive Pressure Respiration,Positive Pressure Ventilation,Positive-Pressure Respirations,Positive-Pressure Ventilations,Pressure, Positive End-Expiratory,Pressures, Positive End-Expiratory,Respiration, Positive-Pressure,Respirations, Positive-Pressure,Ventilation, Positive-Pressure,Ventilations, Positive-Pressure
D011651 Pulmonary Artery The short wide vessel arising from the conus arteriosus of the right ventricle and conveying unaerated blood to the lungs. Arteries, Pulmonary,Artery, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Arteries
D002407 Catheterization, Swan-Ganz Placement of a balloon-tipped catheter into the pulmonary artery through the antecubital, subclavian, and sometimes the femoral vein. It is used to measure pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary artery wedge pressure which reflects left atrial pressure and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. The catheter is threaded into the right atrium, the balloon is inflated and the catheter follows the blood flow through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle and out into the pulmonary artery. Catheterization, Pulmonary Artery,Swan-Ganz Catheterization,Pulmonary Artery Catheterization,Artery Catheterization, Pulmonary,Artery Catheterizations, Pulmonary,Catheterization, Swan Ganz,Catheterizations, Pulmonary Artery,Pulmonary Artery Catheterizations,Swan Ganz Catheterization
D006469 Hemoptysis Expectoration or spitting of blood originating from any part of the RESPIRATORY TRACT, usually from hemorrhage in the lung parenchyma (PULMONARY ALVEOLI) and the BRONCHIAL ARTERIES. Hemoptyses
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000367 Age Factors Age as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or the effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from AGING, a physiological process, and TIME FACTORS which refers only to the passage of time. Age Reporting,Age Factor,Factor, Age,Factors, Age

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