Yet all this work provides only a snapshot of Mr. Ambrose's clinical picture. Although the intermittent bolus method is still the standard for measuring CO, you may soon be relying on a new technology that allows you to monitor CO continuously. 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.