Validity of Cardiac Output Measurement Using Niccomo Device After Cardiac Surgery

Cardiac surgery is at high risk of low cardiac output syndrome after procedure. Monitoring cardiac function, and especially cardiac output, is important to identify cardiovascular dysfunction and to introduce and adjust optimal therapies. Invasive monitor such as pulmonary arterial catheter or transpulmonary thermodilution provide precise measurements but need an invasive access to arterial and central venous route, with possible complications. Cardiographic bioimpedencemetry (Niccomo device, Imedex Corp) allows a non invasive measurement of cardiac output and some other parameters of cardiovascular function. Nevertheless, the reliability of this device has been little studied after cardiac surgery.