What pressure is obtained when the balloon is deflated?

What pressure is obtained when the balloon is deflated?

• A. Right atrial pressure
• B. Left atrial pressure
• C. Pulmonary artery pressure
• D. Systemic arterial pressure

Answer: (C)

The balloon-tipped pulmonary artery catheter can read different pressures depending on whether the balloon is inflated or deflated. When the balloon is inflated, the catheter wedges in a small branch of the pulmonary artery, which isolates a column of blood and yields the left atrial pressure estimate (pulmonary capillary wedge pressure). When the balloon is deflated, the catheter’s tip remains in the pulmonary artery and the pressure readout reflects the pressures within the pulmonary arterial system itself. Therefore, with the balloon deflated, the pressure you obtain is the pulmonary artery pressure.

The balloon-tipped pulmonary artery catheter can read different pressures depending on whether the balloon is inflated or deflated. When the balloon is inflated, the catheter wedges in a small branch of the pulmonary artery, which isolates a column of blood and yields the left atrial pressure estimate (pulmonary capillary wedge pressure). When the balloon is deflated, the catheter’s tip remains in the pulmonary artery and the pressure readout reflects the pressures within the pulmonary arterial system itself. Therefore, with the balloon deflated, the pressure you obtain is the pulmonary artery pressure.