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The use of the electrical-impedance technique for the monitoring of cardiac output and limb bloodflow during anaesthesia

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Abstract

A need has long existed during routine anaesthesia for a convenient, noninvasive method for the monitoring of stroke volume, and hence of changes in cardiac output. If knowledge of the mean arterial blood pressure is available, it becomes possible to monitor changes occurring in the left-ventricular stroke work and the total systemic resistance. Nyboer et al. (1940) proposed the use of thoracic electrical-impedance measurements for this purpose. The system used by us, however, is based on the work of Kubicek et al. (1966). The calculation method used for the stroke volume is to some extent empirical; nonetheless the values obtained compare well with those obtained by the dye-dilution technique in patients with normal hearts and lungs.

Sommaire

Depuis longtemps, on a besoin d'une méthode pratique, non envahissante pour suivre le volume à chaque battement et donc les changements du rendement cardiaque au coures l'anesthésie routinière. Si la pression sanguine artérielle moyenne est connue, il est alors possible de contrôler les changements de travail se produisant dans le battement ventriculaire gauche et la résistance totale de l'organisme. Nyboeret al. (1940) suggérèrent à cette fin, l'usage de mesures d'impédance électrique thoracique. Toutefois le système que nous utilisons est basé sur les travaux de Kubiceket al. (1966). La méthode de calcul de volume de battement est quelque peu empirique, malgré tout, la valeur obtenue est en bon accord avec celles obtenues par la technique de dilution de colorant pour les patients au coeur et poumons normaux.

Zusammenfassung

Schon lange mangelt es in der routinemäßigen Anästhesie an einer bequemen, nichtinvasiven überwachungsweise des Stossvolumens und damit auch der Veränderungen in der Herzleistung. Weiss man den durchschnittlichen Blutdruck, so ist es möglich, die Stossveränderungen in der linken Herzkammer, sowie den gesamten systemischen Widerstand zu kontrollieren. Nyboeret al. (1940) schlug vor, thorakale elektrische Impedanz-Messungen für diesen Zweck zu benutzen. Unsere Arbeitsweise basiert jedoch auf der Arbeit von Kubiceket al. (1966). Die Kalkulation für das Stossvolumen ist in mancher Beziehung empirisch, jedoch können die Werte gut mit denen verglichen werden, die durch die Farb-Verdünnungsmethode bei Patienten gewonnen wurden, deren Herz und Lunge gesund und normal sind.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Department of Anaesthetics, Royal College of Surgeons of England, WC2, London

    D. W. Hill

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill., USA

    H. J. Lowe

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  1. D. W. Hill
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  2. H. J. Lowe
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Hill, D.W., Lowe, H.J. The use of the electrical-impedance technique for the monitoring of cardiac output and limb bloodflow during anaesthesia. Med. & biol. Engng. 11, 534–545 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02477397

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02477397

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