Hemoptysis after Flushing Swan-Ganz Catheters in the Wedge Position

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Abstract
To the Editor: The Journal has had an important role in introducing Swan–Ganz catheters and describing their complications.1 2 3 4 We wish to report two cases of a known complication of this procedure, hemoptysis,5 , 6 caused in an unusual way: by flushing the catheter in the wedge position. In each patient, 5 to 8 ml of 5 per cent dextrose solution was injected over a two-to-three second period. Since recent reports by us and others7 8 9 have found a use for pulmonary wedge injections to create echocardiographic contrast on the left side of the heart, we believe that more physicians may attempt this maneuver, . . .

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