Pulmonary Artery Catheterization
Cindy continues to be stable. However, the doctors are not sure that they are medically treating her correctly due to all her complications. Today they decided to do a procedure called Pulmonary Artery Catheterization (also called Swan-Ganz). The procedure consists of a catheter that is inserted into the groin and “pushed” up to the heart. An x-ray is used to watch the catheter ensures it is in place correctly. The purpose of the test is to monitor her heart’s pressure. This will help them determine if Cindy is having heart failure pulmonary hypertension or valvular disease. It will also measure volume status. Both a Cardiologist and a Pulmonologist with be doing the procedure and monitoring the results.
The benefit of this procedure is to be able to make good treatment decisions. The doctors will be collecting information from the pulmonary artery catheter so they can determine the best form of therapy for Cindy.
For more information on the procedure, check out https://www.bu.edu/av/courses/med/05sprgmedanesthesiology/002/Pulmonary%20Artery%20Catheter.ppt
One of the biggest challenges the staff will face is transporting her to where the procedure will take place. Cindy is hooked up to so many tubes and monitors and has to be transferred to a guerney from her bed. Below is a picture of what was following Cindy as she went down for the procedure.
The procedure went well, but the doctors never came to tell us anything. Updates on her condition later.
Answer to yesterday’s quiz.
Intubate means to insert a tube for the purpose of mechanical ventilation (helping someone breath).