The balloon-tipped thermodilution catheter

Preview

The balloon-tipped thermodilution catheter has become widely used for the care of critically ill patients, but problems remain with interpreting the data it provides and assessing their impact on morbidity and mortality. In this article, Dr Desbiens reviews certain aspects of the clinical utility of this catheter, with emphasis on the three major determinations that can be made with it: cardiac output, central venous pressure, and mixed venous oxygen content.