Question

When blood flow is prevented by wedging the balloon briefly into an artery, why does the pressure measured just beyond the balloon closely reflect the pressure downstream in the blood vessels (in the left atrium, in this case)

Answer 1

The measurement of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), which serves as a proxy for left atrial pressure and a mitral valve function indicator, is commonly utilized.

What is pulmonary capillary wedge pressure?

• The diagnosis, prognosis assessment, and therapy of patients with suspected pulmonary hypertension (PH) and specific heart failure patients still rely heavily on right heart catheterization.
• The measurement of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), which serves as a proxy for left atrial pressure and a mitral valve function indicator, is commonly utilized.
• A Swan-Ganz catheter (a multi-lumen balloon catheter) with a balloon tip is inserted into a central vein and advanced into a branch of the pulmonary artery to measure it.
• The pulmonary artery branch is subsequently blocked by the balloon's inflation, which results in a pressure reading that is equal to the left atrium's pressure.

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