The Design and Implementation of a Pulmonary Artery Catheterization Simulator

Pulmonary Artery Catheterization (PAC) is a commonly performed procedure. It is used when hemodynamic and other cardiac measures must be accurately monitored in seriously ill patients. A flow-directed, balloon-tipped (Swan-Ganz) catheter is typically inserted into a major vein, passed through the heart, and into the pulmonary artery. This procedure is normally not performed under fluoroscopy. Instead, transducer readings from the catheter tip provide a continuous report of local blood pressure. An experienced practitioner can infer the catheter's location from this information, yet several studies have found that physicians and critical care nurses have a wide variability in competency. A simulator for this procedure can address some of the educational and training issues highlighted. This paper describes our ongoing progress in developing a PAC trainer.