Swan-Ganz catheter

Swan-Ganz Catheter

The Swan-Ganz catheter (pronounced: swan-ganz kath-i-ter) is a type of Pulmonary artery catheter used in medical procedures.

Etymology

The Swan-Ganz catheter is named after its inventors, Jeremy Swan and William Ganz. They developed this catheter in the late 1970s to measure the pressure in the heart's chambers and large blood vessels.

Description

The Swan-Ganz catheter is a long, thin tube that is inserted through a vein and guided into the heart. It is used to measure the blood pressure inside the heart and lungs. This information can help doctors diagnose and monitor certain conditions, such as heart failure or pulmonary hypertension.

Procedure

The procedure to insert a Swan-Ganz catheter is called a Right heart catheterization. The catheter is usually inserted into a large vein in the neck or groin and then guided into the heart using fluoroscopy. Once in place, the catheter can measure pressures and oxygen levels in different parts of the heart and lungs.

Related Terms

• Pulmonary artery catheter
• Right heart catheterization
• Fluoroscopy
• Heart failure
• Pulmonary hypertension

See Also

• Cardiac catheterization
• Central venous catheter
• Invasive procedures

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Swan-Ganz catheter
• Wikipedia's article - Swan-Ganz catheter

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