Pulmonary artery catheter with protective sleeve and introducer

The left panel shows a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) that is inserted through the introducer ex vivo. The right panel shows the PAC inserted in vivo. In vivo, the introducer shaft is located intravenously and the hub is external to the skin. A protective sheath is shown; it is attached to the hub of the introducer and serves to reduce infectious complications. The introducer has one or two side ports that can also be used for the administration of medications and fluids; side attachments can be used to suture it to the skin. The distal portion of the PAC can be seen in the left panel projecting beyond the introducer.