EDUBRIEFS
in CCTC
Differentiating
the Right Ventricle and Pulmonary Artery Waveforms
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I think that the
tip of my pulmonary artery catheter is displaying a Right Ventricular waveform.
What clues would help validate a right ventricular tracing?
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TIP:
Obtain a pulmonary artery tracing at the beginning of each shift, to use
as a reference for comparison of any future waveform changes.
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A right
ventricle waveform will appear taller than the previous pulmonary artery
tracing (if measured on the same scale).
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If
the new waveform has a systolic pressure that is the same as previous pulmonary
artery systolic recordings, but now has a much lower diastolic pressure,
the new waveform is most likely right ventricle.
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If
the new waveform has a systolic pressure that is the same as the previous
pulmonary artery systolic readings, but the diastolic pressure on the new
waveform is similar to the right atrial diastolic pressure, the catheter
tip is likely in the right ventricle.
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Compare
the new waveform to the baseline pulmonary artery waveform.....if the rise
in the new waveform is closer to the QRS than the rise in the pulmonary
artery waveform, the new waveform is probably right ventricle.
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A waveform
change accompanied by new ventricular ectopic beats suggests that the tip
of the catheter might be in the right ventricle.
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Show
me the contrast between Right Ventricle and Pulmonary Artery Waveforms. |
Brenda Morgan
Clinical Educator, CCTC
September, 1999
Reviewd May 12, 2001
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