Pulmonary artery pressure monitoring in the surgical intensive care unit. Benefits vs difficulties
K. Quinn and E. J. Quebbeman
The process of pulmonary artery pressure monitoring in 50 consecutive
patients in the surgical intensive care unit was analyzed to determine the
number and types of problems that occurred in relation to the benefit
obtained. Twenty-six percent of the patients had a change in their
cardiorespiratory therapy and their conditions were improved after the
pressure data were obtained. Many technical and interpretative problems
that tended to decrease the desirability of using pulmonary artery pressure
monitoring were identified. Most problems could be avoided by carefully
calibrating the monitor system, clearing the catheter system of air bubbles
and blood clots, learning to property interpret pulmonary artery pressure
tracings despite large respiratory variations, and obtaining a hard-copy
printout of the pressure tracing with the simultaneous ECG signal. A
protocol for avoiding many difficulties was developed.
