Page 127 - AACN Essentials of Critical-Care Nursing Pocket Handbook, Second Edition

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Deflate balloon (passively). down). Stop anticoagulation. Consider “wedge” angiogram.
Treatment Place patient on side (catheter tip

Check chest film immediately after insertion. Leave balloon deflated. site. PA if it spontaneously wedges. position. air to obtain a PAW waveform. than 1.25-1.5 mL air.

Prevention Carefully secure catheter at insertion Call physician to pull catheter back to Do not flush catheter when in wedge Inflate balloon slowly with only enough Do not inflate 7-Fr catheter with more

Problems Encountered with Pulmonary Artery Catheters (continued)

Distal migration of catheter tip catheter is wedged Failure of balloon to deflate
Cause Continuous or prolonged wedging of Overinflation of balloon while catheter

Problem Pulmonary hemorrhage or infarction, or both

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