Use of the pulmonary artery catheter in severe preeclampsia: a review

The use of a balloon-tipped, flow-directed pulmonary artery catheter in critically ill and surgical patients has become commonplace in the United States since its introduction into clinical medicine in 1970. The capability of acquiring continuous hemodynamic and, more recently, oxygen transport data, has led to an enhanced understanding of pathophysiologic processes in disease states and to an improved ability to guide therapeutic decision making. The purpose of this paper is to review experience with the pulmonary artery catheter in subsets of women with severe preeclampsia.