Saturday August 5, 2006

Q; Where would you measure the PAOP (pulmonary artery occlusion pressure) ?

A: Remember !. The pulmonary artery occlusion (`wedge') pressure should be read at the end-expiratory point. This seems easy but at bedside its get tricky and often forgeted as it may be different in spontaneously breathing and patient on positive pressure ventilation.

If patient is breathing spontaneously, this pressure will correspond to the 'peak' of the wedge pressure trace (first strip),

If patient is on positive pressure ventilation, it will correspond to the 'trough' (second strip).

(Just remember - ventilator put people down)





First strip is - spontaneously breathing patient
Second strip is - patient on positive pressure ventilator