What is an arterial line?

The arterial line is a catheter that is inserted into the artery. It is used in intensive care medicine to obtain direct and continuous blood pressures in critically ill patients. These lines can also be used to obtain blood for laboratories and arterial blood gases.

In most cases, the arterial line is connected to the converter and pressurized flush bag with a rigid intravenous tube. The converter is connected to the bed monitor. The converter is able to read fluctuations in arterial blood pressure and changes this reading into an electrical signal that is picked up by a monitor. This signal is reflected in the form of wool, similar to ECG monitoring.

The flush bag connected to the converter is closed in a pressure cuff that constantly presses the bag. This allows fluid from the flushing bag to flow into the artery. This is important, because without the pressure from flushing, the arterial line hose would be filled with blood.

The most common arteries used for the art of the line are radial arteriesy wrists. The brachial artery located in the elbow bend is another common place to place the line. The doctor or anesthesiologist sometimes places the arterial line in the femoral artery located in the area of ​​the weakness. It is also possible to use the artery dorsalis pedis, which is located on the top of the foot.

There are complications that can occur when placing this type of line. One such complications could be the development of hematoma. This accumulation of blood could become so large that it could endanger the blood flow to the limb where the arterial line is located.

Another complication associated with arterial lines is the risk of bleeding. If the line disconnects, the patient will bleed abundantly. If the bleeding is not stopped, it is possible for the patient to bleed to death. The monitor is used to alert the hospital staff if there is and connecting anywhere in the line,

arterial lines should only be used in the Kri SettingsTical care, where they can be carefully monitored by properly trained staff. They are an important diagnostic tool for monitoring a patient who has problems with blood pressure that is too low or too high. When the patient is on an intravenous drop that deeply affects blood pressure, the location of the arterial line may be decisive for the patient's outcome.