Combined catheter system for IABP and determination of thermodilution cardiac output

摘要

An intro-aortic balloon catheter system and method for determining cardiac output with the system including a distal end for insertion into an aorta and a proximal end opposed to the distal end, a balloon portion in proximity to the distal end which repeatedly expands and contracts so as to assist the pumping action of the heart, a catheter tube connected to the balloon portion with the catheter tube having a lumen introducing a pressurized gas into the balloon portion and leading the pressurized gas out from the balloon portion and a temperature sensor attached to the catheter tube and being electrically coupled to a connector at the proximal end of the catheter tube. The method includes inserting the temperature sensor into a lumen of the intra aortic balloon catheter system, advancing the temperature sensor until it projects freely into the aorta, injecting an injectate of a temperature different to that of the temperature of the patient's blood into the central vein of the patient, measuring the blood temperature profile versus time by means of the temperature sensor and calculating cardiac output and optionally the derived variables from the measured temperature profile.