Cardiovascular monitoring with special emphasis on mixed venous oxygen measurements.

With the advent of complicated surgical procedures the need for invasive hemodynamic monitoring has taken a prominent place in the management of patients. This has resulted in improved morbidity and mortality in overall patient care. Along with conventional monitoring of heart rate, arterial pressure and central venous pressure, the information about the function of the left heart is essential. This paper describes the usefulness of Swan-Ganz catheter (SG catheter) during intensive care. The purposes of the study is to determine the relationship between mixed venous oxygen saturation measurement, peripheral skin temperature and volume replacement in the immediate postoperative period, as well as the need for prolonged mechanical ventilation in shocked patients.