Use of magnifying lens to aid neonatal umbilical arterial catheter insertion.

ABSTRACT

We conducted this trial to test the hypothesis that use of a magnifying lens would facilitate umbilical arterial catheter (UA C) insertion in neonates. Neonates <33 weeks' gestation requiring a UA C were randomized to conventional method of catheter insertion or an experimental method using a 2.0 X magnifying lens mounted on a headband. A total of 44 neonates (Conventional = 23, Experimental = 21) with comparable demographic characteristics completed the study. The time taken for (primary outcome) and rate of successful UAC insertion (secondary outcome) were not significantly different between the two groups (median times conventional 88 seconds,experimental 70 seconds, P = 0. 734) (Success rate conventional 19/23 (83%) vs experimental13/21 (63%), P = 0. 1791 Thus, our hypothesis was rejected.