ultrasound guided technique of central venous catheterization versus anatomical landmark guided technique in medical intensive care patients

ABSTRACT

Background: Central venous catheterization [CVC] is an important procedure in the practice of emergency medicine. Insertion of CVC is amongst the most frequently performed invasive procedures in ICU. In severely ill and long-stay patients, inserted CVCs enable relatively safe and painless application of parenteral nutrition, long-term antibiotics, chemotherapy, intravenous fluids, and blood components and are also used for repetitive blood sampling. Furthermore, CVCs are used for invasive hemodynamic monitoring, hemodialysis, plasmapheresis and in case of shortage of a peripheral access. With the increasing availability of bedside ultrasound, emergency physicians have begun to incorporate this new technology to reduce error and improve patient care