Anaesthesia of the spinal cord-injured patient: cardiovascular problems and their management.
An increased venous capacity and a decreased myocardial contractility can be expected in patients with an acute spinal cord lesion at or above T6. Both factors may contribute to a high incidence of arterial hypotension and pulmonary oedema in these patients especially during anaesthesia. We feel that the Swan-Ganz catheter provides valuable information concerning prevention, diagnosis and treatment of arterial hypotension and pulmonary oedema. Although there may be occasional difficulty in interpretation of measurements from the Swan-Ganz catheter if high airway pressures are used, it is a more sensitive monitor than C.V.P. measurement and is particularly useful in patients with a sympathectomy secondary to spinal cord trauma.
D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000009:adverse effects; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000293:injuries