[Lung artery catheterization in patients with blood diseases]

Purpose of the study was to analyze complications of the lung artery catheterization in patients with blood disease.

93 cases of the lung artery catheterization in patients with blood disease were studied in the retrospective research.

Indications for lung artery catheterization were septic shock (in 78.5% of cases) and acute respiratory failure with different etiology (in 21.5% of cases). In 31 cases (33.3%) lung artery catheterization was performed in patients with agranulocytosis and in 81 cases (87%) in patients with thrombocytopenia (platelets median was 44 10(9)/L, from 7 10(9)/L to 7 150 10(9)/L). If a thrombocytopenia was less than 30 10(9)/L the patients received transfusion of platelets concentrates. Early complications of the lung artery catheterization occurred in 5 patients with thrombocytopenia (5.4%). Character of the complications was hemorrhagic (haematoma, bleeding from place of puncture, lung bleeding) and mechanical (puncture of artery, pneumothorax, haemothorax). Number of attempts of central veins puncture was a risk factor for the complications. Frequency of catheter associated sepsis was 5.89 cases each 1000 catheter-days. Frequency of soft tissues infection in the area of catheterization was 9.78 cases each 1000 catheter-days. Catheter associated infections occurred in cases when catheter was used more than 5 days. 2 of 3 patients with catheter associated sepsis had agranulocytosis. Other complications included intermittent arrhythmias during catheter moving through heart chambers (58), rupture of catheter container during its use (4), thrombosis of the one lumen of catheter (3).

Lung artery catheterization can be used in patients with blood disease and first of all in patients with septic shock and acute respiratory failure. In patients with agranulocytosis less invasive methods of monitoring are more advisable.