Background: The development of arrhythmias during placement of a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) is common.
Aims: This study was designed to examine factors influencing development of ventricular arrhythmias in adult patients undergoing cardiovascular operations during the catheter placement.
Settings and designs: Prospective, observational, cohort study.
Methods: We prospectively studied 174 patients undergoing cardiovascular operations. A PAC was inserted through the right internal jugular vein by staff anesthesiologists. Electrocardiography tracings were recorded as the catheter was advanced from the right atrium to the pulmonary artery. Arrhythmias were classified as absent, single, or multiple (two or more consecutive) ventricular arrhythmias. We examined risk factors to produce ventricular arrhythmias during the placement.
Statistical analysis: The data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis to assess factors for the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias after univariate analyses.
Results: Ventricular arrhythmias (single and multiple) occurred in 149 patients (85.6%) and multiple arrhythmias were observed in 78 patients (44.8%). There were no factors to facilitate the ventricular arrhythmias (single and multiple), whereas it showed that valvular diseases (P = 0.049) and the placement time (P < 0.001) are significant factors to produce multiple arrhythmias.
Conclusion: Both valvular diseases and long placement time were significant risk factors to produce multiple ventricular arrhythmias during placement of a PAC.