Cardiac Catheterization II: Right Heart Catheterization

Right heart catheterization is an invasive diagnostic procedure that directly measures right-sided cardiac and pulmonary artery pressures, calculates cardiac output, and identifies intracardiac shunts.

The primary veins commonly accessed for this procedure are the brachial, internal jugular, femoral, and antecubital veins.

These veins drain into the right atrium, facilitating the smooth passage of the catheter into the right heart and pulmonary artery.

During the procedure, position the patient supine, clean, and drape the access site using a sterile technique.

Administer a local anesthetic at the access site, then obtain venous access using a needle and guidewire technique. Insert a sheath into the vein to facilitate catheter placement.

Using fluoroscopic guidance, advance the pulmonary artery catheter through the sheath.

Obtain necessary measurements, such as pressures, as the catheter is moved into the right atrium, right ventricle, and pulmonary artery.

After completing the measurements, carefully withdraw the catheter and sheath, apply pressure to the access site to prevent bleeding, and dress the site with a sterile bandage.