Accurate measurement of intraarterial pressure through radial artery catheters in neonates.

A technique is described for accurate measurement of intraarterial pressure through radial artery catheters in neonates. The technique, which can be used for short-term monitoring, uses cannulation of the radial artery with a 24-gauge Teflon catheter, connected by a Luer-Lok fitting to a three-way stopcock and a high-fidelity tip transducer. In vitro studies showed that the system is linear and the frequency response is flat (+/- 3 dB) up to 50 Hz. The technique permits gathering of high-quality pressure data and can be used in the area of neonatal clinical research for short-term monitoring. It needs to be developed further before routine application in clinical practice can be recommended.