What is the capped port on a Swan-Ganz catheter used for?

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Multiple Choice

What is the capped port on a Swan-Ganz catheter used for?

Explanation:
The capped port on a Swan-Ganz catheter is the thermistor lumen port. It houses the temperature sensor at the distal tip and is kept capped because it’s not used for fluid infusion or sampling. Its job is to connect the external temperature sensor to the monitor, allowing continuous temperature measurement of blood as it passes the tip. This temperature data, used with a cold saline bolus injected through the injectate lumen, forms the thermodilution curve essential for calculating cardiac output. The other ports handle balloon inflation, injectate for thermodilution, and distal pressure sampling, but this specific lumen is dedicated to temperature sensing.

The capped port on a Swan-Ganz catheter is the thermistor lumen port. It houses the temperature sensor at the distal tip and is kept capped because it’s not used for fluid infusion or sampling. Its job is to connect the external temperature sensor to the monitor, allowing continuous temperature measurement of blood as it passes the tip. This temperature data, used with a cold saline bolus injected through the injectate lumen, forms the thermodilution curve essential for calculating cardiac output. The other ports handle balloon inflation, injectate for thermodilution, and distal pressure sampling, but this specific lumen is dedicated to temperature sensing.

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