?:definition
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Cardiac output units that measure blood flow from the heart using the indicator dilution technique in which an indicator (e.g., cold water) is injected upstream of the heart and monitored on the downstream side. These devices include a balloon-tipped (flow directed) catheter with a temperature probe (e.g., a thermistor) that is placed in the right side of the heart to measure the output flow temperature and an electronic unit that processes the signal from the thermistor and displays a thermal dilution curve from which cardiac output and other hemodynamic parameters such as stroke volume can be derived.
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