PULMONARY-VALVE INJURY AND INSUFFICIENCY DURING PULMONARY-ARTERY CATHETERIZATION

SINCE the flow-directed, balloon-tipped catheter was introduced in 19701 it has been widely used to monitor pulmonary-capillary wedge pressure. Complications associated with its use include transient arrhythmia,1 intravascular knotting,2 balloon rupture,3 infection of the cutdown site,3 persistent arrhythmia,4,5 pulmonary embolism or infarction,6 7 8 rupture or perforation of the pulmonary artery,9 10 11 12 13 and both septic14 15 16 and aseptic17 18 19 endocardial vegetation. This catheter has also produced a systolic non-ejection click.20 We report two cases of pulmonary-valve damage and resultant insufficiency occurring with catheterization. Case Reports Case 1 An 18-year-old primapara vomited during delivery and aspirated massive amounts of vomitus; the respiratory-distress syndrome developed. An indwelling. © 1979, Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.