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by j.shot

maybe i'm just a dumb grunt (army nursing student) but, one of my instuctors here posted a question for the class 3 months ago and we still have been unable to ascertain an answer...

what does the phlebostatic axis point to? i know the phlebostatic axis is a reference point that points to the RA but, our instructor was/is looking for something more specific.

thanx for any help.

[ParrotHeadRN]

Re: phlebostatic axis?

If you type phlebostatic axis into google or yahoo, you will come up w/ tons of answers. I just tried it and it works well.

[Trauma]

Re: phlebostatic axis?

Ill take a wild guess here and suggest that maybe he/she is asking for the location of the reference point. The junction of the fourth intercostal space and the midpoint of the anterior-posterior diameter indicates the phlebostatic axis. Exactly what is the question he/she poses to you? While looking at the entire question we can see something maybe you are not.

Awaiting your reply,

Troy

[j.shot]

Re: phlebostatic axis?

no the question was more along the lines...

what does the phlebostatic axis point to?

i said the right atrium & he said yes but, he was looking for something more specific.

[Trauma]

Re: phlebostatic axis?

Well I guess you could elaborate and say the left and right atrium as well as the pulmonary artery. Other than those 3 things, I am stumped.

Peace,
Troy

[begalli]

Re: phlebostatic axis?

nevermind.....duh I re-read the original post.

[begalli]

Re: phlebostatic axis?

Let me try again....

Does the instructor mean what is "level" with the phlebostatic axis? Such as if you were to hold a yard stick perpendicular to this reference point what would be at the end of the yard stick opposite the phlebostatic axis?

Or as seems to be the obvious - what anatomical structure(s) are at the phlebostatic axis?

Weird way to word that question.

Or maybe the instructor is looking for a very specific definition of what is measured using the phlebostatic axis. Like: Storm clouds point to rain.

[begalli]

Re: phlebostatic axis?

Also, something else to think of..... what is the phlebostatic axis used for? There is a term that includes the word "point" (not reference point).

[j.shot]

Re: phlebostatic axis?

hmmm.

we came to this question when we were discussing how to zero the transducer for an a-line.

my class and i said you place the transducer 4th intercostal space, midaxillary & our instructor asked what's the signifigance of this placement..."what are you zeroing it to, what in the body is the tranducer lined up with."

i said the right atrium and all the books i've read say the right atrium but, our teacher said there's an even more specific part of the heart (maybe even part of the right atrium as he did say we are right) the p.axis lines up with.

all the major parts of the heart; valves, atria, ventricles, sa, & av nodes have been named (we're fishing) and our instructor keeps sending us away telling us to come back with another answer.

i dunno i'm stumped. if anything he said he'll tell us the answer when we graduate (2 months).

p.s. thanx for all the effort tho people.

[begalli]

Re: phlebostatic axis?

Hey j. I'm pretty sure the answer to your question is in this thread.

And it wasn't me.

There is another possibility that I can think of. It's not necessarily a "part" of the heart, but it is in the heart.

Sorry to be so elusive, but I think you'd be stoked to figure this out on your own.