But first, let's review the standard thermodilution method of measuring CO for comparison. As you know, the method of assessing CO hasn't changed much in the last 25 years. The computer determines the CO value by applying an equation to the washout curve. Blood flow is forward. Baseline temperature in the pulmonary artery is steady.
Appropriate technique is used.
If any of these assumptions is violated, the CO values you obtain may be misleading. Different averaging strategies can also result in different end-CO values, further increasing the potential for inaccuracy or error. Less potential for error Continuous CO monitoring, which adapts intermittent thermodilution principles, helps overcome some of the shortcomings of intermittent CO monitoring. Although CCO values can be influenced by many of the same factors I just listed, the potential for technique-related errors is reduced because you're not injecting fluid or entering a computation constant into the computer. A CCO system consists of a modified pulmonary artery catheter and CO computer.