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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Determination of Cardiac Output in a Porcine Model for Ex Vivo Pulmonary Perfusion
Published on: June 28, 2024
Cardiac output by PulseCO is not interchangeable with thermodilution in patients undergoing OPCAB
Koichi Yamashita1, Tomoki Nishiyama, Takeshi Yokoyama
1Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku-shi, Kochi, 783-8505, Japan. koichiya@kochi-ms.ac.jp
Purpose:
To investigate the reliability of cardiac output assessed by arterial pressure waveform (PulseCO) in comparison with bolus thermodilution measurements in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB).
Methods:
23 patients who underwent OPCAB were enrolled in this study. After premedication with oral diazepam 10 mg, anesthesia was induced with midazolam, fentanyl and vecuronium. After induction, radial artery and pulmonary artery catheters were inserted. Cardiac output was measured simultaneously by the PulseCO and the bolus thermodilution method using the Vigilance monitor: 1) after sternotomy, 2) after opening the mediastinum, and 3) at the end of surgery. The PulseCO was calibrated initially with cardiac output determined by the thermodilution method after induction of anesthesia.
Results:
The correlation coefficients between the two techniques at the three measurement periods were: 1) R2 = 0.49, 2) R2 = 0.52, 3) R2 = 0.55. The limits of agreement (bias +/- 2 SD of bias) were: 1) 0.71 +/- 2.66, 2) 0.30 +/- 1.97, 3) 0.76 +/- 3.85 L.min(-1).
Conclusions:
Cardiac output by PulseCO is not interchangeable with cardiac output measured by thermodilution in patients undergoing OPCAB.
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