Use of a pulmonary-artery catheter for detection and treatment of venous air embolism: A prospective study in man

Abstract

The use of pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) monitoring was compared with precordial Doppler ultrasound monitoring and continuous infrared end-tidal CO2 fraction (FET(CO2)) analysis for detection and treatment of venous air embolism in 52 consecutive patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures in the seated position. Doppler air sounds were identified 44 times during 20 operations. During 12 operations there were 17 episodes of Doppler air sounds associated with increased PAP (mean increase = 13 ± 2.8 torr SE,P