The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 21, 43-47, Copyright © 1976 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Cardiac output measurement by thermodilution during cardiac operations
RL Berger, RD Weisel, L Vito, RC Dennis and HB Hechtman
Measurement of cardiac output by the thermodilution (COTD) technique
through a flow-advanced pulmonary artery catheter is simple, reliable, and
practical at the bedside. Rapid repeat determinations are possible,
facilitating dynamic description of myocardial performance through
construction of ventricular function curves. Replicate determinations of
cardiac output indicate that the thermodilution method is more accurate
than the indocyanine green technique. Examples of the clinical application
of COTD in cardiac surgical patients are provided.