Abstract
Pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) is the one of the most common invasive monitors in critical care and intraoperative patients. Regardless of its extensive use, PAC has failed to show strong evidence of demonstrated benefits. The purpose of the clinical use of PAC is early detection of hemodynamic deterioration, and this leads to aggressive therapy with catecholamines, vasodilators and volume expansions, based on obtained PAC data. The important characteristic of PAC is continuous, vigilance monitoring. This is especially important when transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is not continuously available, such as in postoperative intensive care units. TEE might elucidate every cause of hemodynamic exacerbations, but it is not continuous monitoring. Although specific training in PAC utilization and data interpretation is mandatory, early detection of hemodynamic changes by PAC followed by meticulous investigations with TEE must warrant improvements in patient outcomes.
