Evaluation of disposable arterial blood pressure transducer sets

Direct measurement of blood pressure is used in intensive therapy for continuous monitoring. It can be measured from the radial artery using disposable catheter/transducer sets. A typical set consists of a pressure transducer, a continuous flow device, stop-cocks and some manometer tubing. A connection is made to the blood supply by a fluid column in the manometer tubing, via a plastic cannula through the skin and artery wall. The authors describe a comparison of four disposable transducer sets, undertaken to assist in the purchasing by an intensive therapy unit. The sets were: Cobe CDX; Medex MX9004; Sorenson Abbot Transpac II and Spectramed DTX