An improved method for coronary sinus blood flow monitoring by intravascular Doppler technique

In order to obtain accurate measurements of coronary sinus blood flow (CSBF ), a new catheter (7 French) with a radiopaque, flexible, and basket-shaped tip was developed for guiding a standard 3 Fr Doppler catheter in the coro nary sinus (CS) in man. The radiopaque "basket" tip of the catheter allows the operator to stabilize the position of the Doppler transducer in the cen ter of the CS and to accurately measure the CS internal diameter radiologic ally. CSBF was calculated as the product of CS cross-sectional area by mean CSBF velocity. Doppler-derived CSBF values at rest and during handgrip wer e compared with those obtained by the local thermodilution technique in 16 patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography. During handgrip, mean CSBF increased from 154 +/- 23 (rest) to 299 +/- 34 mL/min by the Doppler m ethod and from 148 +/- 22 to 288 +/- 32 mL/min by the thermodilution techni que. A good correlation (r = 0.86) between the CSBF values with the two tec hniques was observed. The authors conclude that the intravascular Doppler t echnique associated with the use of the basket guide catheter provides an a ccurate and simple tool for monitoring CSBF in patients.