Table of Contents
- Overview
- Results
- Risks
- Prevention
- Images
You should not eat or drink anything for 8 hours before the test starts. You may need to stay in the hospital the night before the test. Otherwise, you will check in to the hospital the morning of the test.
In critically ill patients, the test may be done in the intensive care unit.
You will wear a hospital gown. You must sign a consent form before the test. Your health care provider will explain the procedure and its risks.
How the test will feel
You may be given sedation to help you relax before the procedure, but you will be awake and able to follow instructions during the test.
You may feel some discomfort when the IV is placed into your arm and some pressure at the site when the catheter is inserted. In critically ill patients, the catheter may stay in place for several days.
Why the test is performed
The procedure is done to evaluate how the blood moves (circulates) in people who have:
- Abnormal pressures in the heart arteries
Burns Congenital heart disease Heart failure Kidney disease - Leaky heart valves (valvular regurgitation)
Shock
It may also be done to monitor for complications of
Swan-Ganz catheterization can also be used to detect abnormal blood flow between two usually unconnected areas.
Conditions that can also be diagnosed or evaluated with Swan-Ganz catheterization include:
Cardiac tamponade Pulmonary hypertension Restrictive cardiomyopathy
Review Date: 07/10/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of
General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington
School of Medicine; and Michael A. chen, MD, PhD, Assistant
Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical
Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle,
Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
