Purpose of the study: To analyze complications of the pulmonary artery catheterization in patients with blood diseases.
Materials and methods: 93 cases of pulmonary artery catheterization in patients with blood diseases were included in the retrospective study.
Results: Indications for pulmonary artery catheterization were septic shock (78.5%) and acute respiratory failure (21.5%). In 31 cases (33.3%) pulmonary artery catheterization was performed in conditions of agranulocytosis and in 81 cases (87%) in conditions of thrombocytopenia (platelets median 43 x 109 per liter minimal 7 x 109, maximal 150 x 109 per liter). Patients received transfusions of platelets in case of thrombocytopenia less than 30 x 109 per liter. Early complications of pulmonary artery catheterization occurred in 5 patients with thrombocytopenia (5.4%), the complications was connected with bleeding (hematoma, bleeding from place of puncture, lung bleeding) and mechanical (arterial puncture, pneumothorax, hemothorax). Number of attempts of the central vein catheterization was risk factor the complications. The frequency of catheter-associated sepsis was 5.89 cases each 1000 catheter-days and the frequency of infections of the soft tissues was 9.78 cases each 1000 catheter-days. Catheter-associated infection complications occurred in cases of catheter use over 5 days. Catheter-associated sepsis occurred in 2 of 3 patients with agranulocytosis. Other complications included intermittent arrhythmias during catheter moving in the heart chambers (58), catheter balloon rupture (4), and thrombosis of catheter lumen (3).
Conclusions: Pulmonary artery catheterization can be used in patients with blood diseases and first of all in cases of septic shock and acute respiratory failure. Alternative less invasive methods of monitoring should be used in patients with agranulocytosis.