Arterial Catheter Dysfunction

The primary outcome defines arterial catheter dysfunction as the proportion of enrolled participants with abnormal catheter function in each group. A prior survey reported that most anaesthesiologists had encountered partial arterial catheter occlusion and many had encountered complete occlusion. Movement can produce position-dependent waveform abnormalities, abnormal damping, or signal loss through mechanisms such as spasm, kinking, or tip apposition. Catheter dysfunction includes kinking, dislodgment, lumen occlusion, waveform damping, and loss of blood withdrawal. Catheter dysfunction can distort blood pressure readings, require catheter replacement, and create patient-safety risks.