ARTERIAL BLOOD-PRESSURE WAVE-FORMS IN RADIAL AND POSTERIOR TIBIAL ARTERIES IN CRITICALLY ILL NEWBORN-INFANTS

The aim of this study was to document arterial blood pressure wave for ms at two sites along the arterial tree of the neonate: in the radial and posterior tibial arteries. Using a high-fidelity catheter tip-tran sducer system, peripheral arterial blood pressure wave forms in 26 cri tically newborn infants were studied. In 14 infants the radial artery and in 12 infants the posterior tibial artery was cannulated. Radial a rtery blood pressure waves resembled those of proximal aortic rather t han those of the radial artery in adults. Quantitative analysis of the waves was performed to reassure this finding. Blood pressure waves ob tained from posterior tibial artery resembled those of femoral artery rather than those of posterior tibial artery waves in adults. We concl ude that radial and posterior tibial artery wave forms in neonates app ear to have a central appearance. This phenomenon might be explained b y the close proximity of the radial and posterior tibial artery to the central aorta and femoral artery respectively, due to the small and s hort limbs of the neonate. The finding allows an ''easy central pressu re look'' at both ends of the neonatal aorta.