Anatomical Landmark Guided versus Ultrasound-Guided Technique for Subclavian Vein Cannulation in Critically Ill Patients.

ABSTRACT

Background: Central Venous Access (CVA) is acommon requirement in the critically ill patient for avariety of indications including Central VenousPressure (CVP) monitoring, haemodialysis, placementof pulmonary artery catheters, cardiac pacing and foradministration of drugs especially vasoactive,chemotherapy agents and parenteral nutrition.Traditionally, Central Venous Catheter (CVC)placement is performed using Landmark (LM)technique and is associated with complications likearterial puncture, pneumothorax, hemothorax, airembolism, catheter embolism, and cardiac arrhythmias.Use of Ultrasound (US) is currently indicated forvarious clinical situations to reduce complication rate ofLM technique. Aim and Objectives: The purpose of thisstudy was to determine whether US guidance couldimprove the success rate, number of attempts, and rateof acute complications like inadvertent arterialpuncture, hematoma formation, and pneumothorax ofsubclavian venous catheterization. Material andMethods: Sixty patients in need of central venouscatheter were prospectively randomized in two groupsof 30 each. In the LM group patients were catheterizedusing the LM method and in US group patients werecatheterized by real-time US-guidance. Number ofattempts, success rate, access time and complicationslike accidental subclavian artery puncture, haematomaformation, pneumothorax, were recorded. p values<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results:In the US group 30 (100%) of patients were successfullycannulated with the US guidance while the landmarktechnique was successful in 26 (86.66%) of patients. Inthe US group the success on first attempt was 83.33 %which was a significantly higher from 56.67% achievedin the LM group (p=0.025). The average number ofattempts for successful cannulation in the US group was1.16 ± 0.4, while in the LM group it was 1.56 ± 0.9 withstatistically significant difference (p=0.046). Accesstime was 27.26 ± 04.62 seconds in the US group, whilethe access time was significantly more in the LM group36.56 ± 17.35 seconds (p=0.0062). Conclusion: USguidance during subclavian vein catheterizationincreases overall and first attempt success, improvesaccess time with reduced average number of attemptsand complications.