Hemodynamically the central venous pressure should be the same in both the supine and lateral positions. The accurate determination of an external zero reference level corresponding with mid right atrial level would make possible reliable measurements in either position. The purpose of this study was to help determine the reliability of two central venous pressure extrathoracic reference points; the midaxillary line as it intersects the fifth intercostal space for a supine position, the fourth intercostal space within the right sternal border for a side-lying position.
Measurements were taken on twenty cadavers during post-mortem examination to determine the relationship of these two reference points to the mid right atrium. Probes were placed in the chest wall at the two reference sites and carefully extended through to the heart. Direct measurements were then taken to determine the distance of the probes from the mid right atrium.
Results of this study revealed that there was a significant difference between the midaxillary reference point and the mid right atrium (p<.001). On an average the midaxillary reference point was 2.9 centimeters posterior to the mid right atrium.
The data of this study suggest there was no significant difference between the sternal reference point and the mid right atrium (p>.05). However, due to the high variability of the data (SD of 2.55 cms.), there is reason to suggest that this is not conclusive and that the sternal reference point might not be a reliable estimate of the zero point for central venous pressure readings in the side-lying position for a large proportion of patients.
","abstract_html":"<p>Hemodynamically the central venous pressure should be the same in both the supine and lateral positions. The accurate determination of an external zero reference level corresponding with mid right atrial level would make possible reliable measurements in either position. The purpose of this study was to help determine the reliability of two central venous pressure extrathoracic reference points; the midaxillary line as it intersects the fifth intercostal space for a supine position, the fourth intercostal space within the right sternal border for a side-lying position.</p> <p>Measurements were taken on twenty cadavers during post-mortem examination to determine the relationship of these two reference points to the mid right atrium. Probes were placed in the chest wall at the two reference sites and carefully extended through to the heart. Direct measurements were then taken to determine the distance of the probes from the mid right atrium.</p> <p>Results of this study revealed that there was a significant difference between the midaxillary reference point and the mid right atrium (p<.001). On an average the midaxillary reference point was 2.9 centimeters posterior to the mid right atrium.</p> <p>The data of this study suggest there was no significant difference between the sternal reference point and the mid right atrium (p>.05). However, due to the high variability of the data (SD of 2.55 cms.), there is reason to suggest that this is not conclusive and that the sternal reference point might not be a reliable estimate of the zero point for central venous pressure readings in the side-lying position for a large proportion of patients.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Wright, Jane E."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Nursing","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dorothy M. Martin","LaVaun W. Sutton","Lucile Lewis","Raymond B. Crawford"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1974,"date_issued":"1974-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"1974-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:53:44Z","subjects":["Nursing","Venous Pressure"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1355","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dorothy M. Martin","LaVaun W. Sutton","Lucile Lewis","Raymond B. Crawford"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Wright, Jane E."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Nursing"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Nursing","Venous Pressure"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1355"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Hemodynamically the central venous pressure should be the same in both the supine and lateral positions. The accurate determination of an external zero reference level corresponding with mid right atrial level would make possible reliable measurements in either position. The purpose of this study was to help determine the reliability of two central venous pressure extrathoracic reference points; the midaxillary line as it intersects the fifth intercostal space for a supine position, the fourth intercostal space within the right sternal border for a side-lying position.
Measurements were taken on twenty cadavers during post-mortem examination to determine the relationship of these two reference points to the mid right atrium. Probes were placed in the chest wall at the two reference sites and carefully extended through to the heart. Direct measurements were then taken to determine the distance of the probes from the mid right atrium.
Results of this study revealed that there was a significant difference between the midaxillary reference point and the mid right atrium (p<.001). On an average the midaxillary reference point was 2.9 centimeters posterior to the mid right atrium.
The data of this study suggest there was no significant difference between the sternal reference point and the mid right atrium (p>.05). However, due to the high variability of the data (SD of 2.55 cms.), there is reason to suggest that this is not conclusive and that the sternal reference point might not be a reliable estimate of the zero point for central venous pressure readings in the side-lying position for a large proportion of patients.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Central Venous Pressure Reference Points Measured on Post-Mortem Subject"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dorothy M. Martin","LaVaun W. Sutton","Lucile Lewis","Raymond B. Crawford"],"dc:creator":["Wright, Jane E."],"dc:description.abstract":["Hemodynamically the central venous pressure should be the same in both the supine and lateral positions. The accurate determination of an external zero reference level corresponding with mid right atrial level would make possible reliable measurements in either position. The purpose of this study was to help determine the reliability of two central venous pressure extrathoracic reference points; the midaxillary line as it intersects the fifth intercostal space for a supine position, the fourth intercostal space within the right sternal border for a side-lying position.
Measurements were taken on twenty cadavers during post-mortem examination to determine the relationship of these two reference points to the mid right atrium. Probes were placed in the chest wall at the two reference sites and carefully extended through to the heart. Direct measurements were then taken to determine the distance of the probes from the mid right atrium.
Results of this study revealed that there was a significant difference between the midaxillary reference point and the mid right atrium (p<.001). On an average the midaxillary reference point was 2.9 centimeters posterior to the mid right atrium.
The data of this study suggest there was no significant difference between the sternal reference point and the mid right atrium (p>.05). However, due to the high variability of the data (SD of 2.55 cms.), there is reason to suggest that this is not conclusive and that the sternal reference point might not be a reliable estimate of the zero point for central venous pressure readings in the side-lying position for a large proportion of patients.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1355"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"dc:subject":["Nursing","Venous Pressure"],"dc:title":["Central Venous Pressure Reference Points Measured on Post-Mortem Subject"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Nursing"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:53:44Z"}