7.5 fr swan ganz catheter

RHC was performed in a similar method as described in our previous report [12 (link)]. Briefly, Ppa and PAWP were measured using a 7.5-Fr Swan-Ganz catheter (Edwards Lifesciences, USA). Cardiac index (CI) was calculated from cardiac output (CO) measured by thermodilution. Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was calculated according to the following formula:
$\mathrm{PVR}\left(\mathrm{d}\mathrm{y}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{·}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{c}\mathrm{·}{cm}^{-5}\right)=\frac{meanPpa-PAWP}{CO}\times 80$

First, pulmonary angiography was performed using a 5F pigtail catheter to identify branches of the right and left main pulmonary arteries. A 7.5 Fr Swan-Ganz catheter (Edwards Lifesciences) was advanced to the right or left pulmonary artery via femoral vein access and dextran microspheres (100–300 μm diameter, coarse Sephadex G-50, Sigma-Aldrich) at a dose of 20 mg/kg were infused through the lumen of the Swan-Ganz catheter on a weekly basis. The dextran microspheres were mixed with 30 ml of sterile 0.9% sodium chloride at least 6 hours prior to the injection. Using this approach, all animals recovered with 100% survival. This dosing regimen was based on the results of a pilot study that demonstrated that infusion of concentrated microspheres (i.e., without dilution in saline) at doses as low as 10 mg/kg led to severe respiratory distress and high early mortality. Once the microspheres were diluted in saline prior to infusion doses as high as 15–20 mg/kg were tolerated without acute morbidity or mortality.