Patent ID: 6736782
Filing Date: 2004-05-18
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
Apparatus for hemodynamic monitoring, said apparatus comprising(a) a central venous catheter assembly having a proximal end and a distal end, said central venous catheter assembly comprising at least one lumen and heating means in the immediate proximity of said distal end adapted to emit heat pulses for introducing travelling temperature deviations to a patient's blood circulation, (b) means for determining the power transferred by the heating means as a function of time, the power transferred during emission of each heat pulse thereby representing an input signal corresponding to the respective heat pulse, (c) an arterial catheter assembly comprising temperature sensing means for measuring the local blood temperature in an artery of said patient as a function of time, thus determining for each said input signal a corresponding system response, and (d) computing means having implemented thereon executable operations for determining a reference cardiac output value of said patient from at least one said input signal and said respective corresponding system response.