published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Surgery / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Abstract Central venous access devices (CVADs) have become essential interventions for pediatric patients. However, their use is associated with serious complications. The most common and potentially preventable complication is catheter related blood steam infections (CRBSIs). Despite the implementation of interventions that have been shown to decrease their risk, CRBSIs still occur. Pediatric nurses were surveyed regarding their knowledge and application of recommended CVAD care practices, and their perspectives on possible factors that could contribute to the incidence of CRBSIs. Donabedian’s (1966) Structure-Process-Outcome Model guided the study. A cross-sectional, descriptive and exploratory mixed-methods survey design was used. The convenience sample consisted of 93 pediatric nurses. Findings indicate areas of concern related to adherence to CVAD care guidelines and situations that could interfere with the provision of recommended CVAD care. The primary factor identified was the use of improper technique by members of the healthcare team and the patients’ families.

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Theoretical Foundations Catheter ablation is an intervention focused on targeted removal of or damage to an area that causes arrhythmias. This intervention began to be performed at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s because it had been found that treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs was expensive and the drugs had to be taken throughout patients' lives. Thanks to its high success rate and low risk of complications, it has been used in the treatment of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias. At present, the success rate is around 75 %, and the intervention sometimes needs to be repeated to achieve its desired effect. Objectives of the thesis The first objective was to find out whether patients with a history of catheter ablation changed their personal and professional lives. The second objective was to map out which areas of the patients' live were affected most by the catheter ablation treatment. The third objective was to find out about differences in the patients' lives before and after catheter ablation. Research questions V1: In what areas are the patients' lives limited most? V2: What changes have occurred in their lives after catheter ablation? Methodology The research part of the thesis was carried out using a qualitative survey conducted by means of semi-structured interviews with patients suffering from arrhythmias. The total of 9 respondents, 5 males and 4 females, were interviewed. The information obtained was processed using programme Atlas.ti. The results are presented as networks created in this programme. Results The research questions can be answered using the data obtained from the respondents suffering from arrhythmias. The first research question was aimed at finding out in what areas the patients' lives were limited most. It was found out, through the semi-structured interviews, that the most limited area was personal life, in which arrhythmia caused most difficulties to the respondents during sports activities. Because of their health problems, most of the respondents limited their sports activities or abandoned them altogether in favour of their health. Other problems are caused during physical strain and under physical load. That was also the thing that the addressed respondents preferred to avoid. The respondents are also limited in the performance of their work, when the main cause of their problems is psychological stress, mental stress resulting in arrhythmia symptoms in the respective respondents. The second research question examined what changes occurred in their lives after catheter ablation. The changes that occurred related to the care of the family and the household in which they are able to engage in multiple activities. The respondents were able to pay more attention to their families by whom they are encouraged in the treatment. There was an overall improvement in their health, enabling better integration into everyday life. The most frequently mentioned area of changes was sport. During the period after catheter ablation, the respondents began to return gradually to their hobbies. Conclusion The thesis describes the restrictions that arrhythmia caused to the respondents and also the changes that have occurred in the individual respondents after catheter ablation treatment. The results can be used in practice in the education of patients who wait for the catheter ablation treatment and in subsequent measures using the prepared mind maps.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2005Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:41:28Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 dornbusch_pt_dr_botfmvz.pdf: 1000026 bytes, checksum: 9d7db83dca777b01eccbd74b45e0a741 (MD5) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / A trombose de jugular é problema freqüente na medicina eqüina, implicando muitas vezes em conseqüências fatais. O diagnóstico é relativamente simples, baseado nos achados físicos, nas imagens angiográficas e ultra-sonográficas. A terapêutica conservativa empregada em grande parte dos casos é insatisfatória. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar em eqüinos a aplicabilidade da trombectomia com cateter de fogarty, técnica esta rotineiramente empregada pela medicina humana, no restabelecimento da perviedade vascular. Foram utilizados 10 eqüinos divididos em 2 grupos, com cinco animais cada, em que se induziu a trombose de jugular unilateral direita, através do acesso cirúrgico à veia e aplicação de sutura estenosante e injeção de glicose a 50%. No grupo controle avaliou-se a evolução da tromboflebite sem qualquer tipo de intervenção terapêutica. Os animais do grupo tratado foram submetidos a trombectomia com cateter de Fogarty. Foram avaliados os parâmetros físicos gerais, regionais, ultra-sonográficos e angiográficos contrastados, nos momentos pré-indução (MPRÉ), indução da trombose (MTI) e dez dias de evolução da trombose (M13). A técnica empregada induziu a tromboflebite, que obstruiu completamente um segmento da veia jugular de todos os animais. Os animais do grupo controle mantiveram os trombos obstruindo totalmente o lume vascular até o final do período de avaliação, sendo que avaliações regionais mostraram principalmente o edema parotídeo e o ingurgitamento vascular, cranial a tromboflebite de jugular. Nos exames ultra-sonográficos e angiográficos, o grupo tratado apresentou todas as veias pérvias ao final do experimento, com remissão total dos sinais clínicos. Concluiu-se que a técnica da trombectomia com cateter de Fogarty foi eficiente na desobstrução da veia jugular submetida à trombose experimental. / Thrombosis of jugular vein is a frequent problem in the equine medicine, implying many times in fatal consequences. The diagnosis is relatively simple, based in the clinical findings, angiographics images and ultrasonographycs. The therapeutic employed to a large extent of the cases is unsatisfactory. The objective of this work was to evaluate in horses the applicability of the thrombectomy with Fogarty catheter, technique routinely used in medicine, in the reestablishment of the perviousness vascular. 10 horse divided in 2 groups had been used, with five animals each, and induced thrombosis of right unilateral jugular vein, through the surgical access to the vein and application of stenotic suture and glucose 50% injection. In the controlled group it was evaluated evolution of the thrombophlebitis without any type of therapeutical intervention. The animals of the treatead group had been submitted to the thrombectomy with Fogarty catheter. General clinical parameters were analysed at the moment of the preinduction (MPRÉ), induction of thrombosis (MTI), and ten days of evolution of thrombosis (M10). The employed technique induced the thrombophlebitis that completely obstructed a segment of the jugular vein in all the animals. The animals of the control group had kept the thrombus totally obstructing the vascular lumen until the end of the period of evaluation, being that regional evaluations had mainly shown parotid edema and the vascular dilated, cranial the thrombophlebitis of jugular vein. The treated group presented all the pervious veins to the end of the experiment, confirmed by angiographics and ultrasonographics examinations, with total remission of the clinical sign. So far, it was concluded that the technique of the thrombectomy with catheter of Fogarty was efficient in eliminating the obstruction of the jugular vein submitted to experimental thrombosis.

Orientador: Carlos Alberto Hussni / Resumo: A trombose de jugular é problema freqüente na medicina eqüina, implicando muitas vezes em conseqüências fatais. O diagnóstico é relativamente simples, baseado nos achados físicos, nas imagens angiográficas e ultra-sonográficas. A terapêutica conservativa empregada em grande parte dos casos é insatisfatória. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar em eqüinos a aplicabilidade da trombectomia com cateter de fogarty, técnica esta rotineiramente empregada pela medicina humana, no restabelecimento da perviedade vascular. Foram utilizados 10 eqüinos divididos em 2 grupos, com cinco animais cada, em que se induziu a trombose de jugular unilateral direita, através do acesso cirúrgico à veia e aplicação de sutura estenosante e injeção de glicose a 50%. No grupo controle avaliou-se a evolução da tromboflebite sem qualquer tipo de intervenção terapêutica. Os animais do grupo tratado foram submetidos a trombectomia com cateter de Fogarty. Foram avaliados os parâmetros físicos gerais, regionais, ultra-sonográficos e angiográficos contrastados, nos momentos pré-indução (MPRÉ), indução da trombose (MTI) e dez dias de evolução da trombose (M13). A técnica empregada induziu a tromboflebite, que obstruiu completamente um segmento da veia jugular de todos os animais. Os animais do grupo controle mantiveram os trombos obstruindo totalmente o lume vascular até o final do período de avaliação, sendo que avaliações regionais mostraram principalmente o edema parotídeo e o ingurgitamento vascular, cranial a tromboflebite de jugular. Nos exames ultra-sonográficos e angiográficos, o grupo tratado apresentou todas as veias pérvias ao final do experimento, com remissão total dos sinais clínicos. Concluiu-se que a técnica da trombectomia com cateter de Fogarty foi eficiente na desobstrução da veia jugular submetida à trombose experimental. / Abstract: Thrombosis of jugular vein is a frequent problem in the equine medicine, implying many times in fatal consequences. The diagnosis is relatively simple, based in the clinical findings, angiographics images and ultrasonographycs. The therapeutic employed to a large extent of the cases is unsatisfactory. The objective of this work was to evaluate in horses the applicability of the thrombectomy with Fogarty catheter, technique routinely used in medicine, in the reestablishment of the perviousness vascular. 10 horse divided in 2 groups had been used, with five animals each, and induced thrombosis of right unilateral jugular vein, through the surgical access to the vein and application of stenotic suture and glucose 50% injection. In the controlled group it was evaluated evolution of the thrombophlebitis without any type of therapeutical intervention. The animals of the treatead group had been submitted to the thrombectomy with Fogarty catheter. General clinical parameters were analysed at the moment of the preinduction (MPRÉ), induction of thrombosis (MTI), and ten days of evolution of thrombosis (M10). The employed technique induced the thrombophlebitis that completely obstructed a segment of the jugular vein in all the animals. The animals of the control group had kept the thrombus totally obstructing the vascular lumen until the end of the period of evaluation, being that regional evaluations had mainly shown parotid edema and the vascular dilated, cranial the thrombophlebitis of jugular vein. The treated group presented all the pervious veins to the end of the experiment, confirmed by angiographics and ultrasonographics examinations, with total remission of the clinical sign. So far, it was concluded that the technique of the thrombectomy with catheter of Fogarty was efficient in eliminating the obstruction of the jugular vein submitted to experimental thrombosis. / Doutor

Submitted by Cássia Santos (cassia.bcufg@gmail.com) on 2016-12-16T09:36:11Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Thais Yoshida - 2016.pdf: 2049015 bytes, checksum: 4c0db77258728ea13cbc289c1d269fc0 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Jaqueline Silva (jtas29@gmail.com) on 2016-12-16T13:53:27Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Thais Yoshida - 2016.pdf: 2049015 bytes, checksum: 4c0db77258728ea13cbc289c1d269fc0 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-16T13:53:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Thais Yoshida - 2016.pdf: 2049015 bytes, checksum: 4c0db77258728ea13cbc289c1d269fc0 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-04-15 / INTRODUCTION: Primary bloodstream infections related to central venous access(CVA) are among the most frequent infections related to the health assistance and are associated to a longer hospitalization time, high mortality risk and higher costs to health services. Preventive measurements as bundles can reduce the recurring cases of hospitalization and other complications. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the use of a prevention bundle on primary laboratory bloodstream infection related to central venous access on Intensive Care Units in a public hospital in Goiás, from 2012 to 2015. METHODOLOGY: Retrospective study performed on adult and kids intensive care units(ICU) through the analyses of secondary data of the physical and electronic data archives from the Medical Infection Control Service. The following tests were used: Shapiro-Wilk test to check the normal quantitative variables; test of U-Mann-Whitney and Fisher to compare the median differences and proportions of the ICU’s. Two models were used to achieve the objectives. To evaluate the effect of the bundle implementation two periods were compared, these periods were determined as pre intervention period ( prior to bundle implementation) and post intervention. In the adult ICU the pre intervention period corresponds from January 2012 until October 2014 and at the kids ICU, from January 2012 to August 2014. The post intervention phase corresponded of data between November 2014 to December 2015 on the adult’s ICU and from September 2014 to December 2015 on the kids ICU. To evaluate the bundle process indicators, two periods were taken in comparison (2014 and 2015), 2014 being the year that the bundle was implemented. Indicators and variables found on the pre and post intervention period were compared using the regression models of Poisson. <0,05 p rates were considered statistically significant. Confidence intervals of 95% were calculated to the indicators. The analyses were performed on the STATA software, 12.0 version and the graphics were built on the Graph Pad Prism software, 6.07 version. The project was approved by the Ethic Committee, 011/2012 protocol number. RESULTS: A non significant reduction on the IPCSL/CVC in adults ICU’s (RR:0,75; IC 95%: 0,15-3,60; p = 0,723), even though there was high bundle use on the post intervention period. On the other hand, there was a non significant increase on the kids ICU’s(RR: 1,17; IC 95%: 0,26-5,27; p = 0,834). Low bundle total conformity on the kids ICU’’s . Insertion and removal of the catheter were the two least adhered methods adopted on both ICU’s. CONCLUSION: This study did not find significant reduction on the IPCSL/CVC density after bundle implementation, which suggests the need of reviewing the use process, just as the need of continuous professional training to apply bundle and ways to measure the use of the processes with the assistance team. / INTRODUÇÃO: As Infecções Primárias da Corrente Sanguínea associadas ao Cateter Venoso Central (IPCSL/CVC) estão entre as Infecções Relacionadas à Assistência à Saúde frequentes e associadas a maior tempo de internação, elevada morbimortalidade e custos para serviços de saúde. Medidas de prevenção como a adoção de bundles podem diminuir a sua incidência. OBJETIVO: Analisar a utilização de bundle de prevenção de Infecção Primária de Corrente Sanguínea Laboratorial relacionada a Cateter Venoso Central em Unidades de Terapia Intensiva de um hospital público de Goiás, durante o período de 2012 a 2015. METODOLOGIA: Estudo de coorte retrospectivo realizado em unidades de terapia intensiva (UTI) adulto e pediátrica, por meio de análise de dados secundários dos arquivos físicos e eletrônicos do Serviço de Controle de Infecção Hospitalar. Foram utilizados os seguintes testes: Teste Shapiro-Wilk para verificar a normalidade das variáveis quantitativas; testes de U-Mann-Whitney ou exato de Fisher para comparar as diferenças nas medianas e proporções das variáveis entre as UTI, respectivamente. Para avaliar o efeito da implementação do bundle foram comparados dois períodos, denominados pré-intervenção (anterior à aplicação do bundle) em pós-intervenção. Na UTI adulto o período de pré-intervenção correspondeu aos meses de janeiro de 2012 a outubro de 2014 e na UTI pediátrica, de janeiro de 2012 a agosto de 2014. A fase de pós-intervenção correspondeu ao período de novembro de 2014 a dezembro de 2015 na UTI adulto e de setembro de 2014 a dezembro de 2015 na UTI pediátrica. Para avaliar os indicadores de processo do bundle foram comparados os anos de 2014 e 2015, sendo 2014 o ano da implantação da bundle. Variáveis e indicadores encontrados nos períodos de pré e pós-intervenção do bundle foram comparados usando modelos de regressão de Poisson. Valores de p < 0,05 foram considerados estatisticamente significantes. Foram calculados intervalos de confiança de 95% para os indicadores. Análises foram realizadas no STATA software, versão 12.0 e gráficos construídos no Graph Pad Prism software, versão 6.07. RESULTADOS: Verificou-se uma redução não-significativa na incidência de IPCSL/CVC na UTI adulto (RR: 0,75; IC 95%: 0,15-3,60; p = 0,723), apesar da alta taxa de aplicação do bundle no período pós-intervenção. Por outro lado, houve aumento não significativo na densidade de incidência na UTI pediátrica (RR: 1,17; IC 95%: 0,26-5,27; p = 0,834). Observou-se baixa conformidade total dos bundles na UTI pediátrica. Inserção e retirada do cateter foram as etapas com menor adesão nas UTI. CONCLUSÃO: Este estudo não encontrou redução significativa na densidade de IPCSL/CVC após implantação do bundle, sugerindo a necessidade de revisão do processo de utilização, assim como capacitação contínua para a aplicação do bundle e mensuração da adesão com discussão dos indicadores do processo junto à equipe assistencial.

Os acessos venosos são indispensáveis para assistência do paciente em situação crítica. O cateter venoso central (CVC) é um acesso que viabiliza a terapêutica dessa clientela, mas o seu uso pode levar à infecções. Estas infecções ocasionam maior permanência hospitalar, elevam os custos totais das instituições e aumentam a morbidade e a mortalidade do paciente. O uso de curativos como cobertura do sítio de saída do CVC é eficaz na prevenção das infecções relacionadas a estes cateteres, em particular, o uso de curativos impregnados com antissépticos como o curativo gel de clorexidina. Este estudo teve como objetivo comparar a efetividade do curativo gel de clorexidina com a do filme transparente de poliuretano na prevenção da colonização do cateter venoso central em pacientes adultos críticos. Trata-se de estudo experimental, do tipo ensaio clínico randomizado, com tratamentos em paralelo, prospectivo e monocêntrico, realizado de acordo com as recomendações do Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT). O estudo foi realizado na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva e na Unidade Coronariana de um hospital de ensino do interior do Estado de São Paulo. Participaram do estudo 102 indivíduos hospitalizados nestes locais, divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos: grupo intervenção, no qual o tipo de cobertura utilizada foi o curativo de gel de clorexidina e grupo controle, que utilizou como cobertura o filme transparente de poliuretano. O desfecho primário mensurado foi a colonização do cateter e os desfechos secundários foram a infecção clínica do sítio de saída, a infecção microbiológica do sítio de saída e a infecção da corrente sanguínea relacionada ao cateter. Para a coleta de dados foi elaborado um instrumento, e este validado quanto ao seu conteúdo e forma por 13 enfermeiros pertencentes aos locais do estudo. Estes profissionais foram treinados para a realização dos curativos e coleta das pontas dos cateteres centrais, swabs dos sítios de saída e hemoculturas. Análises descritivas foram usadas para todas as variáveis do estudo. O teste Exato de Fisher foi utilizado para comparar as proporções de cada desfecho nos grupos de intervenção e controle, e a regressão logística para explorar se a colonização no CVC poderia ser associada com o tempo de uso do cateter e com o Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) dos pacientes do estudo. De acordo com os resultados não houve diferença estatisticamente significante entre a colonização nos dois grupos (p valor = 1.00), para a infecção microbiológica do sítio de saída (p valor = 0.08), para a infecção clínica do sítio de saída (p valor = 0.77) e para as infecções da corrente sanguínea relacionadas ao cateter (p valor = 1,00). Conclui-se que o presente estudo pode contribuir para que as unidades de saúde tenham subsídios para realizar a escolha do tipo de curativo baseado em suas necessidades institucionais e no desenvolvimento de protocolos relacionados à medidas de inserção e manutenção do cateter, bem como medidas educativas permanentes / The venous access is essential to patient care in critical condition. The central venous catheter (CVC) is an access point that allows the treatment of patients, but its use can lead to infections. These infections increase the period of hospital permanence, the total costs of institutions and the patients\' morbidity and mortality. The use of dressings for coverage of the CVC exit-site is effective in preventing infections related to these catheters, in particular, the use of dressings impregnated with antiseptics such as chlorhexidine gel. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of chlorhexidine gel dressing with the transparent polyurethane film in preventing colonization of central venous catheter in critical adult patients. This randomized experimental study with parallel treatment, prospective and monocentric, which is conducted according to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines. The research was performed in an Intensive Care Unit and in a Coronary Care of a teaching hospital in the interior of the State of São Paulo. The study included 102 patients hospitalized in these units, randomly divided into two groups: the intervention group, which used chlorhexidine gel dressing and the control group, which used the transparent polyurethane film dressing. The primary outcome measured was the colonization of the catheter and the secondary outcomes were the clinical infection and microbial infection of the exit-site and the catheter-related bloodstream infection. Data were collected through an instrument developed and validated in terms of content and form by 13 nurses of the Units where the study was performed. These professionals were trained to use the dressings and to collect the tips of central catheters, swabs of the exit-site and blood cultures. Descriptive statistics were used for all study variables. The Fisher\'s exact test was used to compare the proportions of each outcome in the groups of intervention and control. The logistic regression analysis was used to explore if the colonization of the CVC could be associated with the catheter usage time and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) of the research\'s participants. According to the results there was no statistically significant difference between colonization in both groups (p value=1:00), for exit-site microbial infection (p value=0:08), for exit- site clinical infection (p value = 0.77) and for catheter-related bloodstream infection (p-value=1.00). The results of this study may contribute in providing subsidies to health units to make the choice in the use of the type of dressing based on their institutional needs and in the development of protocols related to integration measures and maintenance of the catheter, as well as permanent educational measures

Objective Formulation of a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for the use of thromboprophylaxis (TP) in pediatric patients with a central venous catheter (CVC). Participants The development team consisted of five experts and a doctoral candidate acting as the primary author. Evidence The guideline was developed utilizing the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II framework. A systematic review of the evidence was performed and evidence was graded using the American Academy of Pediatrics (2004) evidence classifications for CPG recommendations. An appraisal team evaluated the guideline quality utilizing the AGREE Plus platform rating the guideline as “highest quality.” Consensus Employing a modified Delphi methodology, members of the development team reviewed available evidence and voted on proposed Key Action Statements (KAS). Consensus is defined as 80% rating the KAS “usually appropriate.” Conclusion Five KAS are included in the final CPG. Each KAS indicates level of evidence, benefit-harm relationship, and level of recommendation. KAS 1. Providers of hospitalized children (0-18 years of age) may assess for VTE risk factors using the Skrocki VTE risk stratification tool if the patient has a CVC. (Evidence Quality:C, Rec. Strength: Option). KAS 2. Providers of hospitalized children should initiate targeted pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis (tpTP) at the time of CVC insertion or hospital admission (if CVC present on admission). (Evidence Quality: B, Rec. Strength: Strong Recommendation) KAS 3. Providers of hospitalized children with a CVC should implement mechanical thromboprophylaxis (mTP) if the child is immobile (Braden Q score <2) or moderate/ high risk for VTE using the Skrocki VTE risk stratification tool and have no contraindications to mTP. (Evidence Quality: B, Rec. Strength: Recommendation). KAS 4. Providers of hospitalized children with a CVC may prescribe systemic pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis (spTP) if the patient is found to be at high risk for VTE using Skrocki VTE risk stratification tool and the patient has no contraindications to spTP. (Evidence Quality: C, Rec. Strength: Option). KAS 5. Providers of hospitalized children should avoid femoral CVCs, multilumen CVCs and/or percutaneous insertion technique if their benefit does not clearly outweigh their risks. (Evidence Quality: B, Rec. Strength: Recommendation).

Knowledge of the leftventricular (LV) pressure-volume relation, along withparameters derived from this relation, have led to newpossibilities for the characterisation of cardiac pumpfunction, in both experimental studies and clinicalsettings. The pressure-volume diagram is apowerful tool for visualising LV performance, but in order tobe clinically useful it is necessary to make plots continuouslyand on-line. The conductance catheter technique offers thispossibility. The conductance catheter system has experiencedgrowing interest among cardiologists, physiologists, surgeons,and anaesthesiologists around the world as a powerful newresearch tool, but the invasiveness of this technique has beena limiting factor for most clinical applications. The catheterneeds to be thinner and softer in order to make this techniquemore suitable for human use. This thesis reports of a newthin and soft conductance catheter for continuously and on-linemeasurements of LV pressure and volume. One way to reduce both cathetersize and stiffness is to decrease the number of electrodes onthe catheter. Theoretical calculations shown in this thesisproves that it is possible to obtain the same performance witha single segment catheter as with a five-segment catheter. Thethin catheter has been tested and compared to a commercialfive-segment conductance catheter in animal studies. We conclude that the thin singlesegment conductance catheter can measure left ventricularvolume and pessure. The regression coefficient between the twomethods is good independent of loading condition and duringbaseline conditions the catheters produce very similar volumecurves. During preload reduction the estimated volume reductionis different in the two systems. Our thin catheter does notdisturb the heart's normal electrophysiology, neither by thecatheter current nor by any mechanical stimuli. The resultsdemonstrates that our thin, soft, single segment conductancecatheter has performance characteristics which warrant furtherdevelopment, with the goal to make the method available forhuman use. / NR 20140805