An arterial line is a thin catheter placed into an artery, most often at the wrist, and is connected to a pressure monitor. It shows blood pressure beat by beat and allows frequent blood samples, including tests of oxygen and carbon dioxide, without repeated needle pricks.

At Apex, the line is placed under local anaesthetic with sterile technique, and circulation to the hand is checked before and after. In an intensive care unit in Mumbai, an arterial line is used for patients on ventilators, on strong blood-pressure medicines or with unstable circulation when a cuff reading is not accurate enough.

How the Procedure Can Help

It shows sudden changes in blood pressure at once, so the team can adjust treatment quickly, and it spares the patient repeated needle pricks.

Risks and Considerations

Possible risks include bleeding, clot formation, reduced blood flow to the hand, infection, nerve injury and accidental injection of medicine into the artery. The hand is checked regularly, and the line is removed as soon as it is no longer needed.