Catheterization of the pulmonary artery using a 3 French catheter in patients with congenital heart disease.

A 3 French (3F) coaxial polyurethane catheter was utilized for catheterization of the pulmonary artery in patients with complex congenital heart disease with concomitant stenosis or atresia of the pulmonary valve, with or without Blalock-Taussig shunts. Mean aortic and atrial pressures measured with the 3F catheter were compared with those measured with 5-6F conventional catheters. The values measured with the 3F catheter were identical to those measured with 5-6F catheters. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure measured using the 3F catheter was significantly higher than that measured using the 5-6F catheters, but it was not significantly different from mean pulmonary venous wedge pressure. Of 43 patients, 5-6F conventional catheters could be inserted into the branch pulmonary artery in 22 patients, but the 3F catheter could be inserted into the pulmonary artery in all patients. These data suggest that the 3F catheter is useful for catheterization in patients with complex congenital heart disease associated with pulmonary atresia or severe pulmonary stenosis.