Where does the distal port of a pulmonary artery catheter rest?

Where does the distal port of a pulmonary artery catheter rest?

• A. Right ventricle
• B. Aorta
• C. Pulmonary artery
• D. Pulmonary veins

Answer: (C)

A Swan-Ganz catheter is advanced from a central vein through the right heart and into the pulmonary arterial system. The distal lumen at the catheter tip is positioned in a branch of the pulmonary artery, beyond the pulmonic valve. This location lets you measure the pulmonary artery pressure directly. If you inflate the balloon, the tip wedges in a small PA branch, allowing estimation of left atrial pressure via the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. The other sites listed—right ventricle, aorta, pulmonary veins—are not where the distal port resides in standard practice.

A Swan-Ganz catheter is advanced from a central vein through the right heart and into the pulmonary arterial system. The distal lumen at the catheter tip is positioned in a branch of the pulmonary artery, beyond the pulmonic valve. This location lets you measure the pulmonary artery pressure directly. If you inflate the balloon, the tip wedges in a small PA branch, allowing estimation of left atrial pressure via the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. The other sites listed—right ventricle, aorta, pulmonary veins—are not where the distal port resides in standard practice.