Esophageal Doppler ultrasound monitor versus pulmonary artery catheter in the hemodynamic management of critically ill surgical patients

Background: The pulmonary artery (PA) catheter has been used to determine hemodynamic indices; however, it has recently been criticized. This study was undertaken to evaluate an esophageal Doppler monitor (EDM) as a possible replacement for PA catheter in critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients, Methods: EDM and PA catheters were placed in patients in the surgical intensive care units (n = 14, 118 matched sets of data). PA catheter and EDM measurements, including corrected flow time (FTc,) a measure of preload, were obtained. Pearson correlation (r) was analyzed to compare PA catheter and EDM measurements, and a nonlinear regression model was used to describe Starling Relationships. Results: Cardiac output correlated between EDM and PA catheter (r = 0.6; p < 0.001), FTc correlated more strongly with cardiac output than did pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. (FTc: r(2) = 0.27; p < 0.001; cardiac output: r(2) = 0.04; p = 0.06). Conclusion: Corrected flow time is a better indicator of preload than pulmonary capillary wedge pressures. EDM seems to be at least as useful as PA catheter in managing the hemodynamic status of critically ill surgical patients.