Right Heart Catheter Examination - Step By Step

Right heart catheterisation is a frequently used procedure in cardiology and intensive care medicine, especially for the differential diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension, shunt diagnostics and accurate calculation of the important haemodynamic parameters. Various catheters are available for the examination; the most common and safest is the use of a Swan-Ganz catheter. The complete examination includes probing of the right atrium, right ventricle, pulmonary artery and pulmonary capillary bed. In this "step-by-step" article, the authors discuss the practical aspects of this method.