Initial experience with a thin single segment pressure and conductance catheter for measurement of left ventricular volume

• Aims: To evaluate a thin and soft multifunctionalcatheter for the simultaneous real time monitoring of leftventricular volume and pressure with special consideration toside elTects such as interference with normal cardiacelectrophysiology.Methods and results: In four pigs, pressure and volumewere simultaneously recorded by using the thin single segmentpressure and conductance catheter. Measurements were doneunder varied cardiac conditions: at baseline, during preloadreduction and afterload Increase. Volumes were calibrated withintracardiac ultrasound measurements. During preloadreduction the pressure and volume decreased as expected. Acautious afterload increase resulted in a corresponding pressureand volume increase, the maximum of the pressure curvechanged from early to late. Both SV and EDV increased. Thevery few arrhythmias were mainly caused by surgicalinterference.Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that our thinsingle segment conductance catheter for the simultaneousmeasurement of LV volume and pressure has a performancethat warrants further development with the goal to make themethod available for human use. In particular, the catheter didnot cause any arrhythmias.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Medicinteknik -- Medicinsk laboratorie- och mätteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Medical Engineering -- Medical Laboratory and Measurements Technologies (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Left ventricular volume

Conductance catheter

segment volume

Medical engineering

Medicinsk teknik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)