No abstract

In 1948, Hellems, Haynes, Dexter, and Kinney, using venous and arterial catheterization in dogs obtained pressure recordings from both sides of the pulmonary capillary bed. The method consisted in wedging the tip of a cardiac catheter into a small branch of the pulmonary artery and of the pulmonary vein respectively, and recording the mean blood pressures in the obstructed vascular bed distal to the catheter tip. (PCV) we should like to name the curves from the venous side of the capillary bed the " pulmonary capillary arterial pressure pulse " (PCA).Methods. Cardiac catheterization was performed in the usual way. Cournand catheters No. F6-9 with the hole on the tip were used and connected with Tybjaerg-Hansen's capacitive manometer. Pressure tracings were recorded on Elmquist-triplex, together with electro-and phono-cardiograms. The damping of the manometer system was critical. In order to eliminate artefacts due to catheter movements, damping was further increased by the electric'al filter III on the amplifier. The mean pressures were highly overdamped'curves using filter V. The zero point for all pressures was 5 cm. below the sternal angle, with the patient in the recumbent position. Immediately after pressure recording blood samples were drawn in the usual way and oxygen analyses were carried out using Van Slyke's method. To obtain pulmonary capillary arterial pressures the catheter was advanced through the right and left atrium and into a pulmonary vein under fluoroscopic control. The patient was then asked to take a deep breath, and the tip of the catheter was pushed further into the vein so as to obstruct its lumen. OBSERVATIONSIn three of the five cases studied we made a diagnosis of pure atrial septal defect, in one atrial septal defect with complete transposition of the great vessels, and in one atrial and ventricular septal defect with dextrocardia, complete heart block, and probably complete transposition. The diagnosis was based on the results of catheterization, angiocardiography, and clinical findings. Since no case was suitable for surgical treatment the diagnosis could not be verified.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract