A survey of monitoring practice of anesthesiologists during cardiovascular surgery

grantor: University of TorontoThe objective, of this study was to describe monitoring practice of anesthesiologists during cardiovascular surgery, by comparing the application of two technologies, the pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) and the transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), and by examining the application of the PAC in depth. This study consisted of an anonymously completed mailed survey of 345 practising anesthesiologists, designed to describe their practice regarding the PAC and TEE, to assess various factors associated with the use of these technologies, to define the appropriateness of PAC application in specific clinical scenarios, and to determine respondent knowledge base. Seventy-six percent of the sample responded. The PAC was more commonly used than the TEE, and both were more commonly used in academic cardiac practice. Respondents agreed strongly about the appropriate application of the PAC in patients with heart failure (ventricular impairment) but disagreed or were uncertain in many others. Patient-related factors exceeded the importance of practice-related factors in the judgement of most respondents. Specific PAC capacities were used reasonably consistently although some variation existed. Knowledge- base of PAC-related questions correlated with country of training and certification, I and type of practice, but did not correlate with the frequency of use nor type of surgery.M.Sc