Continuous blood pressure monitoring during hemodialysis.

As the number of patients suffering from circulatory problems increases, continuous blood pressure monitoring during hemodialysis is desirable. Monitoring of the fistulated venous pressure was proven to be a satisfactory substitute for that of the systemic arterial pressure, after fistulated venous pressure had been ascertained to correlate strictly with systemic arterial pressure. Utilization of a double-lumened cannula, one lumen for blood outflow and another for monitoring of fistulated venous pressure, was established and showed clinical applicability. This principle is considered to be useful not only for blood pressure monitoring, but also for activation of a dialysis machine control system.