[Pulmonary artery perforations as typical complication in the use of Swan-Ganz catheters]

Two cases of pulmonary artery perforation are reported in association with the use of the Swan-Ganz catheter. A 71- and a 95-year-old woman were monitored by a flow-directed catheter pre- and intraoperatively. Both of them died. After taking other cases in the literature into consideration, this severe complication can be classified as "typical" for this examination technique. Possible means of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of these complications are discussed. A review of incidence and genesis is given.