Measure Cardiac Output Using Ultrasound Dilution in Mechanically Ventilated Children

Investigation of the Reliability to Measure Cardiac Output by a New Ultrasound Dilution Method in Mechanically Ventilated Children After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

The measurement of cardiac output (CO) and hemodynamic pressures are vital for proper management of severely hemodynamic compromised patients. A new ultrasound dilution method (COstatus) for cardiac output measurement has been developed.

The thermodilution technique with a pulmonary artery catheter has been the standard in adult patients for cardiac output measurement. However, using pulmonary artery catheter remains a major clinical problem in children due to technical and size constraints.

COstatus measures changes in blood ultrasound velocity in an extracorporeal AV loop caused by body-temperature isotonic saline injected into the central vein and calculates cardiac output derived from a dilution curve.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children <15 kg admitted to pediatric cardiac surgery for corrective surgery and mechanically ventilated were eligible for the study if parents provided informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Children with known significant tricuspid or mitral valve regurgitations or if it is detected by the preoperative transesophageal echocardiographic examination.
• Children with persistent severe arrhythmias.
• Children with remaining intracardiac shunts after surgery, which may adversely affect the measurement.