Central venous pressure monitoring is used in which setting?

• A. Routine in all procedures.
• B. Pediatric only.
• C. High-risk cases or complex surgeries.
• D. Not used in modern anesthesia.

Answer: (C)

Central venous pressure monitoring measures right atrial pressure, giving a read on preload and intravascular volume status. In healthy, uncomplicated procedures this invasive line adds risk without clear benefit, so routine CVP monitoring isn’t indicated. But in high‑risk situations or complex surgeries, where fluid shifts and cardiac function can change rapidly, CVP provides real-time guidance for fluid management, vasopressor or inotrope use, and overall hemodynamic optimization. It helps detect hypovolemia or volume overload and informs decisions about transfusion or diuretic therapy. It isn’t limited to pediatric patients, and while not always used, CVP remains a valuable tool in modern anesthesia when precise volume assessment is needed. Therefore, the setting best matched for CVP monitoring is high‑risk cases or complex surgeries.