[Hemodynamic monitoring: PiCCO system]. / Monitorización hemodinámica: sistema PiCCO.

Cardiac output (CO) is monitored in critically ill patients to maintain and improve cardiac function with the primary goal of adequate tissue perfusion. For a long time, this monitoring has been done using the pulmonary arterial catheter, which has been provoking increasing controversy. For some years, monitoring of CO has been evolving with the appearance of new invasive and non-invasive monitoring systems. In this chapter we review some aspects of CO monitoring with the PiCCO system based on transpulmonary thermodilution. This system is based on the injection of a cold fluid bolus centrally in the vein. A thermistor located in the tip of the arterial catheter, usually femoral, is used to measure blood temperature changes. A thermodilution curve is created and the hemodynamic parameters obtained after its analysis.

Monitorización hemodinámica: sistema PiCCO(R) / Hemodynamic monitoring: PiCCO(R) system

La monitorización del gasto cardíaco (GC) en lospacientes críticos tiene como objetivo el mantener yoptimizar la función cardíaca con el objetivoprimordial de obtener una adecuada perfusión tisular.Dicha monitorización se ha realizado, desde haceaños, mediante el empleo del catéter de arteriapulmonar, el cual, cada vez suscita mayorcontroversia. Desde hace algunos años lamonitorización del GC ha ido evolucionando con laaparición de nuevos sistemas de monitorización tantode manera invasiva como no invasiva. En estecapítulo repasamos algunos aspectos de lamonitorización del GC mediante el empleode termodilución transpulmonar con el sistemaPiCCO®. Dicho sistema se basa en la inyecciónde un bolo de suero salino por vía central. Untermistor situado en la punta de un catéter arterial,normalmente femoral, mide los cambios detemperatura sanguíneos creando una curvade termodilución, que tras su análisis nos informará delos parámetros hemodinámicos

Cardiac output (CO) is monitored in critically illpatients to maintain and improve cardiac functionwith the primary goal of adequate tissue perfusion.For a long time, this monitoring has been doneusing the pulmonary arterial catheter, which hasbeen provoking increasing controversy. For someyears, monitoring of CO has been evolving with theappearance of new invasive and non-invasivemonitoring systems. In this chapter we review someaspects of CO monitoring with the PiCCO® systembased on transpulmonary thermodilution. Thissystem is based on the injection of a cold fluidbolus centrally in the vein. A thermistor located inthe tip of the arterial catheter, usually femoral, isused to measure blood temperature changes.A thermodilution curve is created and the hemodynamic parameters obtained after itsanalysis