The study included patients over 18 years old in whom the long radial PiCCO™ catheter (4 F diameter and 50 cm long) (Pulsion, Munich, Germany), standard short radial catheter (2.7 F and 8 cm long) Arteriofix® (Braun, Germany), or both were used for more than 48 h for the purpose of hemodynamic monitoring.
The aorta was catheterized (Launcher® Coronary Guide Catheter, 7 F ID (0.81″), Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA) through the femoral artery with the catheter tip placed proximally to the renal arteries for the injection of microspheres.
A dialysis catheter (13 F high flow two-lumen 20 cm, Achim Schulz-Lauterbach VMP, Iserlohn, Germany) was inserted, placing the tip in the right atrium of the heart.
As soon as operator suspects the large-bore catheter (>7 F) in artery, leaves the catheter in place, obtain vascular surgery consultation, and postpones any elective surgery.
A tonometry catheter (16 F TRIP™, Datex-Ohmeda Division, Instrumentation Corp., Helsinki, Finland) was introduced orally and positioned at the large curvature of the stomach.
Endothelial denudation of the left carotid artery was performed with a balloon embolectomy catheter (2 F, Fogarty, Edwards Lifesciences) according to the procedure well validated in our laboratories.
A three-lumen central venous catheter (7 F, Edwards Lifesciences LLC, Irvine, USA) was introduced for blood sampling and fluid administration using aseptic surgical technique.
A balloon catheter (12060 2.0 F, Edwards Life Sciences, Santa Ana, CA, USA) was positioned through the right internal jugular vein in the inferior vena cava to allow occlusion by means of balloon inflation.
In brief, a micromanometer-tipped catheter (1.4 F, SPR 835; Millar Instruments, Houston, TX) was inserted through the right carotid artery into the aorta of an anaesthetized mouse and carefully introduced into the left ventricle (LV).
The arterial blood pressure and electrocardiography data were continuously recorded by a PowerLab 4/30 data acquisition system (ADInstruments, Castle Hill, NSW, Australia), while the cardiac function was assessed by a pressure and volume microtip catheter (1.9 F; Scisense Instruments, Ontario, Canada).
