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Updated: Apr 18, 2026

Lavage-induced Surfactant Depletion in Pigs As a Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome ARDS
Published on: September 7, 2016
Misplacement of a pulmonary artery catheter
Dirk J Varelmann1, Jan N Hilberath
1From the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Abstract:
Placing a flow-directed pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) can be difficult and lead to serious complications. We present the case of an attempted PAC insertion in a patient undergoing implantation of a left ventricular assist device. Although physiologic pressure waveforms were established, plausible measurements of cardiac output and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure were not initially obtainable. Chest radiography showed that the catheter was looped in the pulmonary artery. This malposition could not be visualized intraoperatively by transesophageal echocardiography. The PAC was replaced in the operating room after the left ventricular assist device was implanted.
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