TRANSPULMONARY INDICATOR DILUTION (TPID) - A NEW METHOD FOR CARDIOVASCULAR MONITORING IN CRITICALLY ILL NEONATES AND INFANTS

Transpulmonary indicator dilution (TPID) is used for advanced hemodyna mic monitoring in adults. In contrast to pulmonary artery catheterizat ion (PAC) the indicator bolus is injected via a routine central venous line and the indicator dilution curves are obtained by the aid of a s mall arterial catheter. In neonates and infants this fiberoptic and/or thermistor catheter is placed via a femoral artery introducer sheath into the abdominal aorta. The sheath can be used also for measurements of arterial blood pressure and arterial blood gas status. In this rep ort a critically ill neonate and a 5 months old infant are presented i n which TPID was used for enhanced hemodynamic monitoring. Especially in neonates and infants TPID could be an alternative technique to PAC, because it is less invasive but provides the same or even more inform ation on hemodynamics and intravascular volume status. However, in ord er to validate the method it will be necessary to carry out additional studies on neonates and infants.