An esophageal balloon is inserted into the esophagus at a position proximate to the left atrium and pressurized with a fluid to a pressure greater than an expected atrial pressure. Fluid is permitted to be released from the balloon, and the decaying balloon pressure is measured and recorded as the balloon depressurizes. When the balloon pressure decays to a level at which it is approximately equal to the left atrial pressure, the balloon pressure decay transitions from an exponential decay rate to an approximately linear decay rate. The balloon's mean pressure level at this transition is used to determine the atrial pressure in the left atrium.
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