Pulmonary Artery Catheter Insertion

Pulmonary artery catheterization abroad

Pulmonary artery catheterization (PAC) is a procedure in which an intravascular catheter is inserted through a central vein (femoral, jugular, antecubital or brachial) to connect to the right side of the heart and advance towards the pulmonary artery. This diagnostic procedure can be utilized to assess right sided cardiac chamber filling pressures, estimation of cardiac output, intracardiac shunt evaluation, valvular studies, and vascular resistance. Despite the decrease in the use of pulmonary artery catheterization for evaluation and management of critically ill patients, it still remains an excellent tool for assessment of patients with pulmonary hypertension, cardiogenic shock, and unexplained dyspnea.