A review of pulmonary artery catheterization in 6,245 patients.

From July 1977 to December 1982, 6,245 patients requiring cardiac and noncardiac operations had pulmonary artery (PA) catheterizations for perioperative monitoring. Their ages ranged from 4 to 94 years. PA catheters were inserted through the external or internal jugular vein in 6,146 patients, while arm veins were used in 99 patients. Complications included persistent PVCs requiring therapy in 193 (3.1%), right bundle branch blocks in three (0.048%), left bundle branch and complete heart block each in one patient (0.016%), intrapulmonary hemorrhage in four (0.064%), minor pulmonary infarcts in four (0.064%), perforation of right ventricle in one (0.016%), and death from uncontrollable pulmonary hemorrhage in one patient (0.016%). This investigation reveals a low incidence of morbidity associated with PA catheterization.