Pulmonary artery catheters or central venous catheters for cardiac surgery: the PUMA Pilot randomised clinical trial.

In 30 seconds

The PUMA Pilot was a multicenter, randomized trial assessing the feasibility of comparing pulmonary artery catheters and central venous catheters in low-risk cardiac surgery patients. Among 149 randomized patients, 99% received their assigned intervention. Acute kidney injury occurred in 34% of the pulmonary artery catheter group versus 19% in the central venous catheter group, indicating potential safety concerns.

Key findings

• 99% of randomized patients received their assigned intervention without crossover.
• Acute kidney injury occurred in 34% of the pulmonary artery catheter group compared to 19% in the central venous catheter group.
• Data completeness was achieved for 97% of patients.
• Only 1% of eligible patients were excluded due to clinician refusal.

Why it matters

This study highlights the feasibility of conducting a larger trial to compare monitoring methods in cardiac surgery, addressing significant variability in clinical practice and potentially influencing future guidelines.