Pulmonary Artery Catheter
Swan-Ganz Catheter · Swan · PA Catheter · Pac · Thermodilution Catheter
A long, thin, yellow catheter with depth marks along it and several colored extension lines at the outer end: pressure and infusion ports, a balloon port with a small syringe, and a thermistor connector.
On the table
What it does, the lengths it comes in and what experienced techs know about it.
What it’s for
Placed by the anesthesia provideran-us-THEE-zhuh pruh-VY-derThe licensed professional who gives anesthesia and watches over the client's breathing and vital functions during a procedure.Full entry through the internal jugularJUG-yuh-lerRelating to the neck, especially the large veins in the neck.Full entry , subclavian or femoralFEM-er-ulRelating to the thigh or the femur, the thigh bone.Full entry vein, then through the right atriumAY-tree-umOne of the two upper chambers of the heart, which receive blood coming back to the heart.atri/o atrium-um noun endingFull entry , right ventriclerite VEN-trih-kulThe lower right chamber of the heart, which pumps blood to the lungs.Full entry and pulmonary valve into the pulmonary arteryPUL-muh-nair-ee AR-ter-eeThe large blood vessel that carries blood low in oxygen from the right side of the heart to the lungs.Full entry . It measures central venous pressureSEN-trul VEE-nus PRESH-erThe blood pressure in the large vein near the heart's right atrium, measured through a central line.Full entry , pulmonary artery pressure, wedge pressure (a sign of left heart filling), cardiac outputKAR-dee-ak OWT-putThe amount of blood the heart pumps out in one minute.Full entry and mixed venous oxygen. It is used for cardiac surgery, heart transplant, aortic surgery and patients with heart disease, and is set up alongside the arterial and central venous catheterSEN-trul VEE-nus KATH-uh-terAn IV catheter whose tip sits in a large vein near the heart, used for long-term drugs, fluids, nutrition or blood draws.Full entry .
Lengths and variants
Different models add pacing, extra infusion ports, or continuous cardiac outputKAR-dee-ak OWT-putThe amount of blood the heart pumps out in one minute.Full entry and saturationsach-uh-RAY-shunHow full something is; in nursing, usually the percentage of hemoglobin in the blood that is carrying oxygen.Full entry . Pediatric sizes are made.
What experienced techs know
What techs who reach for it every day know about it.Pro
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5 sources
- Fuller JK. Surgical Technology: Principles and Practice. 8th ed. Chapter 13 (Anesthesia, Physiological Monitoring, and Postanesthesia Recovery), p. 265
- Rothrock JC. Alexander's Care of the Patient in Surgery. 17th ed. Chapter 24 (Vascular Surgery), p. 888
- Rothrock JC. Alexander's Care of the Patient in Surgery. 17th ed. Chapter 25 (Cardiac Surgery), p. 938 (Table 25.6)
- graylinemedical.com
- Fuller JK. Surgical Technology: Principles and Practice. 8th ed. Chapter 32 (Cardiac Surgery), p. 898
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