A position-monitoring flow-directed catheter and method.

摘要

A balloon-tipped, flow-directed catheter (25) with a position-monitoring port (29) is adapted to be positioned in the outflow tract of the right ventricle (13) proximal to the pulmonic valve (18) of the heart (H), which in most adult patients would be approximately 8 cm from the distal tip (26) of the catheter. By measuring the pressure at the position-monitoring port (29), the position of the catheter tip (26) and the balloon (27) in the pulmonary artery (17) can be monitored, and checked before inflating the balloon to measure pulmonary wedge pressure at the distal port. A right ventricular pressure reading indicates that the balloon is in a proper position in the pulmonary artery for measuring wedge pressure. A pulmonary artery pressure reading indicates that the position-monitoring port has crossed the pulmonic valve and that the balloon has migrated distally to a position that may not be safe for inflating the balloon to measure wedge pressure. In such a case, the catheter should be gradually withdrawn until a right ventricular pressure is obtained.