Equipment review An appraisal of the LiDCO？plus method of measuring cardiac output.docVIP

Critical Care June 2004 Vol 8 No 3 Pearse et al. Review Equipment review: An appraisal of the LiDCO?plus method of measuring cardiac output Rupert M Pearse1, Kashif Ikram2 and John Barry2 1Specialist Registrar in Intensive Care Medicine, Intensive Care Unit, St James’ Wing, St. George’s Hospital, London, UK 2Marketing Department, LiDCO Ltd, Cambridge, UK Corresponding author: Rupert M Pearse, rupert.pearse@.uk Published online: 5 May 2004 Critical Care 2004, 8:190-195 (DOI 10.1186/cc2852) This article is online at /content/8/3/190 ? 2004 BioMed Central Ltd Abstract The LiDCO?plus system is a minimally/non-invasive technique of continuous cardiac output measurement. In common with all cardiac output monitors this technology has both strengths and weaknesses. This review discusses the technological basis of the device and its clinical application. Keywords cardiac output, measurement Introduction This issue of Critical Care launches the first review in the new data. The responses are presented unaltered for the reader to form their own opinion. Clearly there is a potential for product promotion, but the formalised structure and narrow scope of the questions are designed to minimise this. There then follows a review by Dr Rupert Pearce, who has experience with the technology but no competing interests. Health Technology Assessment section. As outlined in the editorial [1], the format is a combination of information from the developer and a balanced independent review. These articles should be read in conjunction as they are designed to assess the technology from two different perspectives. The technology under review is a continuous cardiac output monitor based on lithium dilution (LiDCO?plus, LiDCO Ltd, Cambridge, UK). The first section is based on a structured questionnaire derived from the SCCM Working Group of HTA [2]. This