FloTrac
OVERVIEW
- FloTrac™ cardiac output monitor that uses pulse contour analysis
- made by Edwards
USE
- Minimally invasive cardiac output monitoring
DESCRIPTION
- specialised sensor
- attaches to an already inserted radial arterial line
- pressure readings from the arterial line used to calculate the cardiac output (CO) and other derived parameters
- uses pulse contour analysis based on the manufacturer’s patented algorithms
METHOD OF USE
- connected to the arterial line using a standard pressure transducer
- no calibration needed
- connected to a Vigileo™ monitor
Parameters
- Cardiac output/ index CO/CI
- Stroke volume SV/SVI
- Systemic vascular resistance SVR/SVRI
- Stroke volume variation SVV
COMPLICATIONS
- usual complications of arterial cannulation
- Incorrect management due to inaccurate results caused by poor system set-up
OTHER INFORMATION
- an example of a device that has become increasingly popular with the decline of invasive PAC monitoring
- accuracy of this device remains controversial especially in the presence of extreme vasodilatation with hyperdynamic circulation, hepatic cirrhosis, aortic regurgitation, and IABP counterpulsation
References and Links
- Compton FD, Zukunft B, Hoffmann C, Zidek W, Schaefer JH. Performance of a minimally invasive uncalibrated cardiac output monitoring system (Flotrac/Vigileo) in haemodynamically unstable patients. Br J Anaesth. 2008 Apr;100(4):451-6. PMID: 18256056.
- Mayer J, Boldt J, Poland R, Peterson A, Manecke GR Jr. Continuous arterial pressure waveform-based cardiac output using the FloTrac/Vigileo: a review and meta-analysis. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2009 Jun;23(3):401-6. PMID: 19464625.
Critical Care
Compendium
Chris is an Intensivist and ECMO specialist at the Alfred ICU in Melbourne. He is also a Clinical Adjunct Associate Professor at Monash University. He is a co-founder of the Australia and New Zealand Clinician Educator Network (ANZCEN) and is the Lead for the ANZCEN Clinician Educator Incubator programme. He is on the Board of Directors for the Intensive Care Foundation and is a First Part Examiner for the College of Intensive Care Medicine. He is an internationally recognised Clinician Educator with a passion for helping clinicians learn and for improving the clinical performance of individuals and collectives.
After finishing his medical degree at the University of Auckland, he continued post-graduate training in New Zealand as well as Australia’s Northern Territory, Perth and Melbourne. He has completed fellowship training in both intensive care medicine and emergency medicine, as well as post-graduate training in biochemistry, clinical toxicology, clinical epidemiology, and health professional education.
He is actively involved in in using translational simulation to improve patient care and the design of processes and systems at Alfred Health. He coordinates the Alfred ICU’s education and simulation programmes and runs the unit’s education website, INTENSIVE. He created the ‘Critically Ill Airway’ course and teaches on numerous courses around the world. He is one of the founders of the FOAM movement (Free Open-Access Medical education) and is co-creator of litfl.com, the RAGE podcast, the Resuscitology course, and the SMACC conference.
His one great achievement is being the father of three amazing children.
On Twitter, he is @precordialthump.
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