PA catheters.

[Bonny619]

Can someone help me to understand this...

A PA catheter, or Swan Ganz....is used to measure pressure on the right AND left side of the heart. Only a PA catheter can do this, ie..left sided pressure.

We were told that these types of catheters are not as common anymore. Is a PA catheter only used when needing to measure pressure on the left side of the heart?

So, if you don't need to measure the left side, you would use a CVC to just measure the CVP, right? CVP is right side pressure.

Am I on the right track with this?

[Bonny619]

Bueller....Bueller...anyone anyone? :)

[deeDawntee, RN]

Yes you are on the right track....

Pulmonary Artery Pressure Monitoring measures right atrial (CVP), pulmonary artery and pulmonary artery wedge pressure (correlates to left atrial and left ventricular end diastolic pressure). Also, SVO2 can be measured (mixed venous O2 sats) and cardiac output, index and systemic vascular resistance can be calculated, plus many other parameters.

Swan ganz catheters are apparently being used less frequently nationwide, however there are some hospitals and physicians who continue to use them regularly. Where they are used most frequently where I work is in CV surgery ICU. They are invaluable to a good outcome with that group of patients.

There also is a completely different catheter that measures left atrial pressures directly. It is inserted through the chest well via needle puncture into left atrium or via pulmonary vein during cardiac surgery. It is called an LAP line.

[deeDawntee, RN]

Bueller....Bueller...anyone anyone? :)

:lol2::lol2: very good!!

[Bonny619]

Thanks so much!

[deeDawntee, RN]

You are so welcome. If you want to delve deeper into the subject, check out this website:

http://www.pacep.org

It is a very well done educational series on Swans, and it is free.

Good luck!!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

these web links should help explain some of the theory behind this for you:

• http://classes.kumc.edu/son/nurs420/unit4/hemomon.html - an short explanation of central venous pressure measurement (right atrial pressure).
  
• http://www.icufaqs.org/palinesapril04.doc - about pa lines from notes on icu nursing (http://www.icufaqs.org/)
  
• http://www.pacep.org/pages/start/ref.html?xin=sccm - this is a free online tutorial on the pulmonary artery catheter. you have to register to access this tutorial, but it is free.