Importance

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Abstract

A diagnostic catheter for use in measuring cardiac output in the right ventricular chamber of a heart includes a catheter body having an outer periphery and a distal section terminating in a distal end and a proximal section terminating in a proximal end. A plurality of spaced electrodes are secured to the body outer periphery along the body distal section. A plurality of electrical leads extend in the catheter body from a respective one of the electrodes to the proximal end of the catheter body. An elongated rigid member is provided for stiffening a portion of the catheter body. One end of the rigid member is located adjacent a proximal most one of a plurality of electrodes. The rigid member so locates the plurality of electrodes as to space them away from endocardial tissue. The catheter is used with a cardiac output monitoring system. Signals from the catheter are acquired by a signal conditioning and catheter control unit and, are thereafter fed to a microcomputer. The catheter and the system are used in a method for determining the instantaneous volume of blood in a heart chamber.

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First Claim