An analysis of factors influencing pulmonary artery catheter passage through the tricuspid and pulmonary valves

Purpose A pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) has to pass the tricuspid and pulmonary valves for its proper placement. Although several factors were reported to hinder the placement, there have been no reports to identify the factors that prolong the individual time for passing through each valve. Method We individually measured the time required for a PAC to pass through the tricuspid and pulmonary valves. We examined the effect of the following...