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In order to evaluate the incidence and the significance of complications resulting from the use of flow--directed, balloon--tipped catheters to monitor critically ill patients, we made a prospective study of 116 pulmonary artery catheterizations. Indications for catheterization included shock, pulmonary edema, or hemodynamic instability following surgery. Arrhythmias, including premature atrial or ventricular depolarizations, ventricular tachycardia, and transient right--bundle branch block occurred during 90 of the 116 insertion procedures, but were unassociated with morbidity or mortality. In two cases (1.7 percent) staphylococcal bacteremia probably originated from the catheter. In addition, the pulmonary artery catheter led to two cases (1.7 percent) of subclavian vein thrombosis. Postmortem examinations revealed perforations of the pulmonic valve in one case. We conclude that although significant complications may result from pulmonary arterial catheterization and monitoring of critically ill patients, the incidence is low.
C G Elliott, and
G A Zimmerman, and
T P Clemmer
September 1980,
Critical care medicine,
C G Elliott, and
G A Zimmerman, and
T P Clemmer
January 1973,
Annals of surgery,
C G Elliott, and
G A Zimmerman, and
T P Clemmer
March 2001,
British journal of anaesthesia,
C G Elliott, and
G A Zimmerman, and
T P Clemmer
October 2000,
British journal of anaesthesia,
C G Elliott, and
G A Zimmerman, and
T P Clemmer
September 1989,
Mayo Clinic proceedings,
C G Elliott, and
G A Zimmerman, and
T P Clemmer
January 2005,
Lung,
C G Elliott, and
G A Zimmerman, and
T P Clemmer
January 1997,
Annales francaises d'anesthesie et de reanimation,
C G Elliott, and
G A Zimmerman, and
T P Clemmer
February 2004,
Saudi medical journal,
C G Elliott, and
G A Zimmerman, and
T P Clemmer
March 1986,
Critical care medicine,
C G Elliott, and
G A Zimmerman, and
T P Clemmer
April 1994,
Critical care medicine,
