Key Takeaways
The Swan-Ganz catheter is a specialized pulmonary artery catheter used to measure pressures within the right side of the heart and pulmonary circulation. By following the catheter's journey through the heart, clinicians can assess preload, cardiac output, and overall hemodynamic status.
What You'll Learn
- How a Swan Ganz is comparable to a Foley catheter
- The path it takes through the heart
- Pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP)
- How a Swan catheter is like a ship in a bottle, or like a shishkebab, or like a submarine with a nurse observing the PAWP, or like a subway system.
Visual Guide
The Swan's Journey
The catheter enters through a central vein and floats through the right atrium, right ventricle, and into the pulmonary artery. A small balloon at the tip allows blood flow to carry the catheter forward, almost like a sailboat moving with the current.
Related Reading
- Central Venous Pressure (CVP)
- Cardiac Output vs Cardiac Index
- Understanding PAWP
- Arterial Line Waveforms
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