[Circulation monitoring of critically ill patients with the Pulse Contour Cardiac Output system].

The Pulse Contour Cardiac Output (PiCCO) monitoring system measures cardiac output with high precision and accuracy. The system may replace the pulmonary artery catheter in most critically ill patients because the rate of serious complications may be lower. Whether the use of dynamic or static fluid monitoring by PiCCO will result in better outcomes should be assessed by studies using clinically relevant end points.