What is an arterial catheter?

The arterial catheter is a piece of long plastic tube or line that is located directly in the artery or blood vessel. It is usually used in intensive care situations. If the patient's blood pressure or blood-gas measurement needs to be monitored, the arterial catheter is used for rapid analysis. Location of the arterial line is a painful procedure. Anesthetics are often used to reduce pain and discomfort, but can also make the procedure more difficult.

There are four main arteries into which an arterial catheter can be inserted. The artery pedis dorsalis is found in the leg and the femoral artery is in the area of ​​the weakness. The arterial line can also be inserted into the radial artery into the wrist or brachial artery located in the elbow.

These catheters are inserted for blood monitoring, but blood samples can also be taken for tests. The arterial catheter can also be placed in the artery before the surgery. The area surrounding the artery is cleaned and pre -plated and the injection is put into the artery. After the area is dressed by an anesthetic, it is to the artery inBed plastic tube using the same needle. When the arterial line is placed in the blood vessel, the needle can be removed and the line is pushed further into the artery.

After the arterial catheter is introduced, the tube is connected to it. The dressing is placed over the area to reduce slipping. The other end of this hose is connected to the monitor. This machine shows how many times the heart beats and also measures blood pressure. Other vital symptoms can also be seen on the monitoring screen.

Complications may sometimes occur when the arterial catheter is not inserted correctly. This may result in blocking artery or bleeding around the entrance site. Tissue damage followed by excessive bleeding can indicate a problem with a plastic lining AK this may occur when the plastic hose is disconnected from the catheter itself.

bacterial infections are another option in terms of arterial catheter. Redness, swelling and hot skinAround the entry point can be a clear feature of infection. Typically, arterial lines are considered much safer than other catheter types. Blood circulation infections can rarely and can be life -threatening. The incidence of this is very low.