Swan Ganz Cath Question

stevierae · May 6, 2004

It is standard practice in the Trauma/Burn ICU that I work in to use iced injectate solution with the coefficent set accordingly. It seems to me that this iced solution could very well be stunning the myocardium in a heart that is already comprimised (Cardiac or Septic Shock). Just wondering what the standard is in other facilities.

We used to always use iced NS to obtain cardiac outputs via a Swan--some of the anesthesia staff thought that it didn't really need to be iced, PERIOD--that was back in the '80s--I don't know if thoughts have changed.

I, too, am looking forward to hearing current practice standards and recommendations.

athomas91 · May 6, 2004

the two CVICU's i have been in did not used iced injectate...

MaleAPRN · May 6, 2004

The ICU I work in currently do not use iced injectate. Come to think of it...I don't remember when we EVER used iced solution. :rolleyes:

V.

Surgical Hrt RN · May 6, 2004

the cvicu that i worked in for 5 years did not use iced injectate! they said that was the ancient way of doing it. the unit i work in now has continuous cardiac output monitoring, no injecting or solution needed! it's a beautiful thing!!!!!!!

EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN · May 6, 2004

The MICU I work in does not used iced injectate.

jbro · May 6, 2004

room temperature, it just has to be at least a few degrees cooler than the pt

UCDSICURN · May 6, 2004

We use CCO swans where I work and it's policy to do one bolus round per shift to see if the numbers are close. If not, then we recal the machine. So, nothing to inject with the CCO part. Room temp injectate solution is about 10 degrees Celsius cooler than a normothermic patient. No icing required.

Donn C.

NsgTiger · May 6, 2004

We also use room temp injectate

athomas91 · May 6, 2004

as far as i know they stopped using iced just prior to when i graduated 1998....i haven't seen it since ...the once a day/shift thing makes some sense though.

Editorial Team / Admin · May 7, 2004

Any literature available to support accuracy of CO's with and without icing??? I'm interested in any studies/results . ..

arkgolfer · May 7, 2004

"Back in the Day", we used the iced solution, that's what the curly part of the tubing was for. Today's thermistors(sp?) are much more sensitive, and are able to pick up the change in temp as the solution goes screaming by.