INTRAAORTIC BALLOON CATHETER SYSTEM AND MEASUREMENT OF THERMODILUTION CARDIAC OUTPUT

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable the online measurement of cardiac output without requiring an additional intravascular access and without the interruption of circulation assistance by an intraaortic balloon pump by pivotally fitting a temperature sensor electrically connected to a connector at the base end of a catheter tube to the catheter tube. SOLUTION: A catheter body 1 is percutaneously introduced into the femoral artery 11 by a guide wire and its front end 12 advances into the aorta 14 via a vascular structure until the front end reaches right below the subclavian artery. The balloon 7 is thus actuated by the balloon pump connected to the connector 8 in synchronization with the beating of the heart after positioning. Also, the base end of the catheter body 1 is provided with a Lure's lock connector 9 for connecting the internal lumen of the body 1 to a blood pressure monitor. A thermistor 5 for monitoring the temperature of the blood flowing in the aorta 14 is disposed near the front end of the catheter body 1. The output thereof is led outside via a coupler 10.