A Segmentation Method of Foramen Ovale Based on Multiatlas.

Trigeminal neuralgia is a neurological disease. It is often treated by puncturing the trigeminal nerve through the skin and the oval foramen of the skull to selectively destroy the pain nerve. The process of puncture operation is difficult because the morphology of the foramen ovale in the skull base is varied and the surrounding anatomical structure is complex. Computer-aided puncture guidance technology is extremely valuable for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Computer-aided guidance can help doctors determine the puncture target by accurately locating the foramen ovale in the skull base. Foramen ovale segmentation is a prerequisite for locating but is a tedious and error-prone task if done manually. In this paper, we present an image segmentation solution based on the multiatlas method that automatically segments the foramen ovale. We developed a data set of 30 CT scans containing 20 foramen ovale atlas and 10 CT scans for testing. Our approach can perform foramen ovale segmentation in puncture operation scenarios based solely on limited data. We propose to utilize this method as an enabler in clinical work.

Selective medial release using multiple needle puncturing with a spacer block in situ for correcting severe varus deformity during total knee arthroplasty.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to establish a selective and sequential medial release technique using multiple needle puncturing (MNP) with a spacer block in situ in severe varus deformity during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and to investigate its efficacy and safety. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 128 patients with a varus angle >15° were included. Patients were classified according to the tightness of extension and flexion (group 1, no tightness; group 2, extension; group 3, flexion; group 4, extension and flexion). When medial tightness was found on extension, the posterior clearing procedure, including release of the posterior capsule, posterior oblique ligament, and semimembranosus, was performed sequentially. When medial tightness was found on flexion, MNP using an 18-gauge needle with a spacer block in situ was performed at the anterior portion of the superficial MCL (aMCL). Clinical and radiological evaluations including stress radiographs were performed. RESULTS: Among 128 knees, 110 required medial release (posterior clearing procedure only in 44 [34.3%], MNP with a spacer block in situ at aMCL only in 38 [29.7%], posterior clearing procedure and MNP in 28 [21.9%]). The mediolateral gap imbalances on extension and/or flexion were significantly improved (p < 0.001 in all). There were no significant differences in clinical radiological outcomes among groups. Over-release, iatrogenic transection, and postoperative laxity on the stress radiographs were not observed. CONCLUSION: The selective and sequential technique using posterior clearing and/or MNP with a spacer block in situ can be a reliable option for managing medial tightness in severe varus deformity during primary TKA.

Novel ProCore 25-gauge needle for endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration reduces the puncture time and frequency, with comparable diagnostic rate for mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy.

BACKGROUND: The ProCore 25-gauge needle is a novel specifically designed puncture needle for endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), which may improve the puncture efficiency of the procedure while ensuring the diagnostic rate. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy, mRNA yield, and complication rate of 25-gauge needles compared to those of 22-gauge needles in the evaluation of mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy. METHODS: A total of 39 patients undergoing EBUS-TBNA at our institution were evaluated. All the procedures were performed by an experienced endoscopist formally trained in interventional pulmonology. Both the traditional 22-gauge and ProCore 25-gauge needles were used at each lymph node station. For all specimens obtained via EBUS-TBNA, 50 µL was used to extract mRNA and detect the RNA concentration, whereas the other part was sent to the pathological evaluation. χ2 test and t-test were performed to determine the differences between the two types of the needles. A P-value of <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: A total of 88 lymph nodes were punctured by the two needles separately. The diagnostic accuracy for each puncture between the two needles did not show any significant difference (P > 0.05). No serious procedure-related complications were reported. In addition, the mRNA concentration did not differ between the two types of needles (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The ProCore 25-gauge needle gained a similar diagnostic yield with less puncture time and frequency compared with the 22-gauge needle.

Landmark versus ultrasound-guided insertion of femoral venous catheters in the pediatric intensive care unit: An efficacy and safety comparison study.

BACKGROUND: Central venous cannulation (CVC) is common and necessary in pediatric intensive care. However, this procedure is not without risks or complications. Although CVCs have classically been placed following anatomical landmarks, the use of ultrasound guidance has largely replaced the latter, given its better profile of efficacy and safety, demonstrated at least in adult populations. OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness and safety in the insertion of femoral central venous catheters guided by ultrasound (US) versus the anatomical method (LM) in critical care pediatric patients. METHODS: 100 patients were randomized: 50 were assigned to the US group and 49 to the LM group. In the LM group the traditional method consisted in palpating the femoral artery pulse as a; in the US group the CVC was inserted using a real time technique. Success at the first attempt, overall success in cannulation, number of attempts and arterial puncture were the variables studied in both groups. RESULTS: Success at the first attempt and overall success in cannulation were significantly higher in the US group versus the LM (US 42% vs. LM 18%, p 0.011, US 84% vs. LM 51% p <0.001, respectively). The incidence of puncture of the femoral artery was lower in the US group (LM 12 vs. US 5, p 0.056) without achieving statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: According to our results, the placement of central venous access via the femoral approach should be preferably performed under ultrasound guidance, however, further studies in larger populations are needed to confirm this findings.

Punción percutánea transtorácica con aguja gruesa: complicaciones y factores de riesgo inherentes al paciente / Imaging-guided Chest Biopsies with Thick Needle: Complications and Risk Factors Inherent to the Patient

Objetivo Determinar la incidencia de complicaciones con el uso de una aguja gruesa (semiautomática Trucut 18), para punción pulmonar y realizar un análisis exploratorio de las variables inherentes al paciente que probablemente puedan tener relación con el desarrollo de complicaciones. Materiales y Métodos Estudio retrospectivo de una serie de casos de pacientes sometidos a punción percutánea transtorácica (PPT) con aguja gruesa y guiada por tomografía computada (TC) para el estudio de lesiones pulmonares; se realizó un análisis univariado. Resultados Se realizaron 26 punciones, la tasa de incidencia de complicaciones fue del 38,46% en 1 año; los pacientes presentaron: neumotórax leve (n » 7), neumotórax moderado (n » 3) y hemorragia alveolar difusa (n » 1). El análisis estadístico univariado mostró una diferencia estadísticamente significativa en la edad de los pacientes que presentaron complicaciones v/s los pacientes que no presentaron complicaciones (61,18 þ/- 3,6 versus 75,1 þ/- 2,46 años, p » 0,0107). Conclusión La PPT-TC es un procedimiento con una tasa considerable de complicaciones no severas; en nuestra serie de casos, la edad fue la variable que se asoció con mayor fuerza al probable desarrollo de complicaciones.

Objective Establish the incidence of complications with the use of thick needle (Trucut 18) for pulmonary puncture and perform an exploratory analysis of the inherent variables to the patient that may be related to complication development. Materials and Methods Retrospective study of a case series of patients undergoing transthoracic percutaneous puncture (PPT) with thick needle,guided by computed tomography (CT) for the study of pulmonary lesions; a univariate and multivariate analysis was performed. Results 26 punctures were performed, the incidence rate of complications was 38.46% in 1 year: patients presented: mild pneumothorax (n » 7), moderate pneumothorax (n » 3) and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (n » 1). The univariate statistical analysis showed a statistically significant difference in the age of the patients who presented complications v/s patients who did not present complications (61.18 þ/- 3.6 versus 75.1 þ/- 2.46 years, p » 0.0107). Conclusion PPT-CT is a procedure with a considerable rate of non-severe complications; in our case series, age was the variable that was most strongly associated with the probable development of complications.

Epidural needle insertion : A large registry analysis.

BACKGROUND: Dural puncture, paraesthesia and vascular puncture are the most common complications of epidural catheter insertion. Their association with variation in midline needle insertion depth is unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the risk of dural and vascular punctures and the unwanted events paraesthesia and multiple skin punctures related to midline needle insertion depth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 14,503 epidural catheter insertions including lumbar (L1-L5; n = 5367), low thoracic (T7-T12, n = 8234) and upper thoracic (T1-T6, n = 902) insertions, were extracted from the German Network for Regional Anaesthesia registry between 2007 and 2015. The primary outcomes were compared with logistic regression and adjusted (adj) for confounders to determine the risk of complications/events. Results are presented as odds ratios (OR, [95% confidence interval]). MAIN RESULTS: Midline insertion depth depended on body mass index, sex, and spinal level. After adjusting for confounders increased puncture depth (cm) remained an independent risk factor for vascular puncture (adjOR 1.27 [1.09-1.47], p = 0.002) and multiple skin punctures (adjOR 1.25 [1.21-1.29], p < 0.001). In contrast, dural punctures occurred at significantly shallower depths (adjOR 0.73 [0.60-0.89], p = 0.002). Paraesthesia was unrelated to insertion depth. Body mass index and sex had no influence on paraesthesia, dural and vascular punctures. Thoracic epidural insertion was associated with a lower risk of vascular puncture than at lumbar sites (adjOR 0.39 [0.18-0.84], p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Variation in midline insertion depth is an independent risk factor for epidural complications; however, variability precludes use of depth as a reliable guide to insertion in individual patients.

Detecting accidental punctures and lacerations during cholecystectomy in large datasets: Two methods of analysis.

BACKGROUND: After the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report To Err Is Human highlighted the impact of medical errors, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) developed Patient-Safety Indicators (PSI) to improve quality by identifying potential inpatient safety problems. PSI-15 was created to study accidental punctures and lacerations (APL), but PSI-15 may underestimate APLs in populations of patients. This study compares PSI-15 with a more inclusive approach using a novel composite of secondary diagnostic and procedural codes. METHODS: We used Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) data (2000-2012) from AHRQ's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (H-CUP). We analyzed PSI-15-positive and -negative cholecystectomies. Cross tabulations identified codes that were significantly more frequent among PSI-15-positive cases; these secondary diagnostic and procedural codes were selected as candidate members of a composite marker (CM) of APL. We chose cholecystectomy patients for study because this is one of the most common general operations, and the large size of NIS allows for meaningful analysis of infrequent occurrences such as APL rates. RESULTS: CM identified 1.13 times more APLs than did PSI-15. Patients with CM-detected APLs were significantly older and had worse mortality, comorbidities, lengths of stay, and charges than those detected with PSI-15. Further comparison of these two approaches revealed that time-series analysis for both APL markers revealed parallel trends, with inflections in 2007, and lowest APL rates in July. CONCLUSIONS: Although CM may yield more false positives, it appears more inclusive, identifying more clinically significant APLs, than PSI-15. Both measures presented similar trends over time, arguing against inflation in PSI-15 reporting. While arguably less specific, CM may increase sensitivity for detecting APL events during cholecystectomies. These results may inform the interpretation of other large population studies of APLs following abdominal operations.

Ultrasound-guided versus landmark approach for peripheral intravenous access by critical care nurses: a randomised controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: Establishing a peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) after a long intensive care unit (ICU) stay can be a challenge for nurses, as these patients may present vascular access issues. The aim of this study was to compare an ultrasound-guided method (UGM) versus the landmark method (LM) for the placement of a PIVC in ICU patients who no longer require a central intravenous catheter (CIVC). DESIGN: Randomised, controlled, prospective, open-label, single-centre study. SETTING: Tertiary teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: 114 awake patients hospitalised in ICU fulfilling the following criteria: (1) with a central venous catheter that was no longer required, (2) needing a PIVC to replace the central venous catheter and (3) with no apparent or palpable veins on upper limbs after tourniquet placement. INTERVENTION: Placement of a PIVC using an UGM. PRIMARY OUTCOME: Number of attempts for the establishment of a PIVC in the upper limbs. RESULTS: 57 patients were respectively included in both the UGM group and LM group. Stasis oedema in the upper limbs was the main cause of poor venous access identified in 80% of patients. Both the number of attempts (2 (1-4), p=0.911) and catheter lifespan ((3 (1-3) days and 3 (2-3) days, p=0.719) were similar between the two groups. Catheters in the UGM group tended to be larger (p=0.059) and be associated with increased extravasation (p=0.094). CONCLUSION: In ICU patients who no longer require a CIVC, use of an UGM for the establishment of a PIVC is not associated with a reduction in the number of attempts compared with LM. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02285712; Results.

Skin Punctures in Preterm Infants in the First 2 Weeks of Life.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate frequency and trends of skin punctures in preterm infants. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective audit of preterm infants less than 35 weeks admitted over a 6-month period to a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit. Each skin puncture performed in the first 2 weeks of life was documented in a specifically designed audit sheet. RESULTS: Ninety-nine preterm infants were enrolled. Infants born at < 32 weeks' gestation had significantly more skin punctures than infants > 32 weeks (median skin punctures 26.5 vs. 17, p-value < 0.05). The highest frequency of skin punctures occurred during the first week of life for infants > 28 weeks' gestation (medians 17.5 in 28-31 + 6 weeks' gestation, and 15 in > 32 weeks), and during the second week of life for those born at < 28 weeks (median 17.5). Infants with sepsis had more skin punctures (p-value < 0.001), but this was not significant on multivariate analysis. Median skin punctures in the second week of life were statistically higher in the sepsis group on multivariate analysis (odds ratio: 1.07, 95% confidence interval: 1.00-1.14, p = 0.041). CONCLUSION: Frequency of skin punctures is influenced by gestational age and postnatal age. Skin punctures were not an independent risk factor for sepsis.

Closure of Large Percutaneous Femoral Venous Access Using a Modified "Figure-of-Eight" Suture.

Recent advances in different percutaneous treatments made insertion of large-caliber sheaths in the femoral veins more common. Venous punctures are historically managed by initial manual compression with subsequent application of a compression bandage and bed rest. We describe a modified "figure-of-eight" suture technique for minimizing the risk of accidental puncture of the vein while grabbing the subcutaneous tissue. We examined the safety and feasibility of this technique combined with early mobilization in a real-world setting. We performed a retrospective analysis on 56 consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous mitral valve repair using large femoral venous access. The patient population was heterogeneous and bleeding risk characteristics were common. Bleeding Academic Research Consortium Consensus (BARC)-classifiable bleeding complications occurred in eight patients (14%), BARC of two events or more in five patients (8.9%), and BARC of three or more event in only one patient (1.8%), which is a comparable success rate to large venous access closure with suture-mediated closure devices. No BARC Type 3b or BARC Type 5 bleeding occurred. During routine clinical follow-up, no groin-related problems were reported in all patients. Closure of large femoral venous access using a modified temporary subcutaneous figure-of-eight suture in combination of a light compression bandage and bed rest for 2 to 4 hours provides a safe and low-cost alternative to closure devices for early mobilization.

[Investigation of status for vascular access in hemodialysis patients at Xiangya Hospital of Central South University].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the status of vascular access in hemodialysis patients in our center.
 Methods: The general information of hemodialysis patients and types and complications of vascular access at Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from April 2015 to April 2016, were retrospectively analyzed.
 Results: Among 258 prevalent patients, 87.60% of them had arteriovenous fistula (AVF), while 12.40% showed tunneled cuffed catheter. Of the 61 incident patients, 80.33% of them initiated dialysis with a non-tunneled and non-cuffed catheter, 8.19% with an AVF, 9.84% with a tunneled cuffed catheter, and 1.64% with needle puncture. The types of AVF access included 76.55% of wrist radiocephalic fistula, 7.08% of mid-forearm cephalic fistula, 11.06% of elbow brachiocephalic fistula, and 5.31% of antecubital fistula and transposed basilic fistula. Seventy-seven (34.07%) patients with AVF suffered complications and wherein aneurysms accounted for 24.34%.
 Conclusion: In maintenance hemodialysis patients, autologous AVF is the prevalent vascular access. In the beginners for dialysis, non-tunneled and non-cuffed catheter are their choice. Additional efforts and incentives may be necessary to improve vascular access during the initiation of hemodialysis.

The Effect of Swaddling on Pain, Vital Signs, and Crying Duration during Heel Lance in Newborns.

To determine the effect of swaddling on pain, vital signs, and crying duration during heel lance in the newborn. This was a randomized controlled study of 74 (control: 37, experiment: 37) newborns born between December 2013 and February 2014 at the Ministry of Health Bagcilar Training and Research Hospital. An information form, observation form, and Neonatal Infant Pain Scale were used as data collection tools. Data from the pain scores, peak heart rates, oxygen saturation, total crying time, and duration of the procedure were collected using a video camera. Newborns in the control group underwent routine heel lance, whereas newborns in the experimental group underwent routine heel lance while being swaddled by the researcher. The newborns' pain scores, peak heart rates, oxygen saturation values, and crying durations were evaluated using video recordings made before, during, and 1, 2, and 3 minutes after the procedure. Pain was assessed by a nurse and the researcher. No statistically significant difference was found in the characteristics of the two groups (p > .05). The mean pain scores of swaddled newborns during and after the procedure were lower than the nonswaddled newborns (p < .05). In addition, crying duration of swaddled newborns was found to be shorter than the nonswaddled newborns (p < .05). The average preprocedure peak heart rates of swaddled newborns were higher (p < .05); however, the difference was not significant during and after the procedure (p > .05). Although there was no significant difference in oxygen saturation values before and during the procedure (p > .05), oxygen saturation values of swaddled newborns were higher afterward (p < .05). For this study sample, swaddling was an effective nonpharmacologic method to help reduce pain and crying in an effort to soothe newborns. Although pharmacologic pain management is the gold standard, swaddling can be recommended as a complementary therapy for newborns during painful procedures. Swaddling is a quick and simple nonpharmacologic method that can be used by nurses to help reduce heel stick pain in newborns.

A prospective randomized study comparing three different approaches to fluoroscopy-guided shoulder arthrography according to the experience of practitioners.

OBJECTIVE: To compare three approaches via the anterior and posterior glenohumeral joints, and the rotator interval in fluoroscopy-guided shoulder arthrography according to the experience of the practitioners. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective randomized study was originally designed to have 34 subjects for each approach, and finally evaluated 98 patients (mean age: 51.5 years; 55 men) from July to December 2014, who had shoulder arthrography via the anterior (n = 41) or posterior glenohumeral joint (n = 27) approaches, or via the rotator interval approach (n = 30) by residents (n=76) or fellows (n=22). The success rate, number of punctures, fluoroscopy time, radiation dose, and complications of the three methods were compared, and according to the practitioners. RESULTS: The success rate was 100% for the anterior glenohumeral joint approach (34 out of 34), 90.0% for the posterior glenohumeral joint approach (23 out of 30), and 88.2% for the rotator interval approach (30 out of 34; p = 0.013). There was no difference in the success rate according to the practitioners' experience. Fluoroscopy time was longest for the posterior glenohumeral joint approach (mean: 95.44 s) and shortest for the rotator interval approach (mean: 31.57 s, p = 0.006). Radiation dose was larger by 1st- or 2nd-year residents (p = 0.014), with no difference among the three approaches. Only one patient who underwent arthrography using the posterior glenohumeral joint approach complained about post-procedural pain. CONCLUSION: Fluoroscopy-guided shoulder arthrography via the posterior glenohumeral joint or rotator interval approach may be difficult for trainees, and the posterior glenohumeral joint approach may need a long fluoroscopy time.

The use of ultrasound in planned cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia for patients having nonprominent anatomic landmarks.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare conventional landmark method with ultrasound-guided spinal anesthesia in cesarean delivery cases where spinous processes and interspinous spaces were not prominent on physical examination. DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial. SETTING: Operating rooms of university hospital of Erzurum, Turkey. PATIENTS: Sixty-four 18- to 45-year-old American Society of Anesthesiologists I-II patients scheduled for cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia having hardly palpated anatomic landmarks on vertebral column. INTERVENTIONS: Palpation difficulty of vertebral column landmarks was scored as 0, 1, 2, or 3 from easy to difficult for all patients in sitting position. The patients with score 2 or 3 were randomly allocated into 2 groups as group C (conventional, n=32) and group U (ultrasound, n=32) in which ultrasound guidance was used. MEASUREMENTS: The number of skin punctures, the number of needle steering, the number of puncture tried vertebral levels, and procedure time were all recorded. MAIN RESULTS: The number of skin punctures was significantly lower in group U (P<.001). Successful subarachnoid puncture on first attempt was also significantly higher in group U (P<.01). The duration of procedure in the patients with score 2 was determined to be significantly longer in the ultrasound-guided group (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound guidance is an effective and safe method to reduce the number of puncture attempts, improve the success rate of subarachnoid access on the first attempt, and reduce the need to puncture multiple levels, although it prolongs procedure time in patients with score 2 according to our scoring system designed for this current study.

Endovascular retrograde recanalization in Asian critical limb ischaemia patients.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate endovascular retrograde recanalization of critical limb ischaemia (CLI) patients with chronic total occlusions (CTOs) in an Asian population. METHODS: We conducted a single centre-based retrospective review of CLI patients with CTOs who had undergone endovascular retrograde recanalization using the subintimal arterial flossing with antegrade-retrograde intervention technique. RESULTS: A total of 40 CLI patients with CTOs underwent endovascular intervention. The median age was 71 years; 67.5% were males and Chinese accounted for 65% of the patients, of which 55% were in Rutherford category 6, 37.5% in category 5 and 7.5% in category 4. Antegrade-retrograde access was performed via the femoral artery in 39 cases and the brachial artery in one case for the proximal puncture, and the following arteries for the distal puncture: superficial femoral, n = 4 (10%); popliteal, n = 4 (10%); anterior tibial, n = 12 (30%); dorsalis pedis, n = 9 (22.5%); peroneal, n = 4 (10%) and posterior tibial, n = 7 (17.5%). Technical success was high at 92.5% (n = 37). After intervention, 25% (n = 10) had below-knee triple vessel runoff, 52.5% (n = 21) had double vessel runoff and 15.0% (n = 6) had single vessel runoff. Stenting for target vessel dissections was required in 12 patients. There were two cases of significant bleeding; one common femoral artery pseudoaneurysm was treated with ultrasound-guided thrombin injection and another case of distal puncture site bleeding only required compression. Limb salvage at 1 year was 92.5% (n = 37). CONCLUSION: The subintimal arterial flossing with antegrade-retrograde intervention technique is safe with high technical success rates and acceptable outcomes in Asian CLI patients with CTOs.

Impact of anteroinferior transseptal puncture on creation of a complete block at the mitral isthmus in patients with atrial fibrillation.

PURPOSE: Achieving complete mitral isthmus (MI) conduction block for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation remains challenging. We hypothesized that transseptal puncture (TSP) at the anteroinferior aspect of the atrial septum (anteroinferior TSP) could shorten the distance to the MI and improve catheter contact and stability, enabling complete MI block. This study investigated the efficacy of anteroinferior TSP for MI ablation in AF patients. METHODS: Three hundred and twenty consecutive patients (mean age: 62 ± 9 years, 84 % male) with persistent AF undergoing AF ablation, including MI ablation, were enrolled. MI ablation was performed through the conventional (posterior) TSP site (group C, n = 170) or the anteroinferior TSP site (group A, n = 150). RESULTS: Left atrial diameter (LAD) enlargement was greater in group A than in group C (45.8 ± 5.3 mm vs. 44.1 ± 5.0 mm, p = 0.002). Complete MI block at the initial session was significantly higher in group A than in group C (141/150 [94 %] vs. 144/170 [85 %], p = 0.011). At the repeat session for AF recurrence, the rate of persistent complete MI block was significantly higher in group A than in group C (36/48 [75 %] vs. 28/67 [42 %], p < 0.001). LAD (p = 0.011) and left ventricular diastolic dimension (p = 0.037) were significant predictors of failed MI block, while anteroinferior TSP was significantly associated with successful MI block (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Anteroinferior TSP could improve the initial success rate and long-term persistence of complete MI block for AF ablation.

Accidental arterial puncture during right internal jugular vein cannulation in cardiac surgical patients.

BACKGROUND: The primary aim of this study was to compare the incidence of accidental arterial puncture during right internal jugular vein (RIJV) cannulation with and without ultrasound guidance (USG). The secondary end points were to assess if USG improves the chances of successful first pass cannulation and if BMI has an impact on incidence of arterial puncture and the number of attempts that are to be made for successful cannulation. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Prospective observational study performed at a single tertiary cardiac care center. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 255 consecutive adult and pediatric cardiac surgical patients were included. In Group I (n = 124) USG was used for the right internal jugular vein cannulation and in Group II (n = 81) it was not used. There were 135 adult patients and 70 pediatric patients. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Demographic and categorical data were analyzed using Student 't' test and chi- square test was used for qualitative variables. RESULTS: The overall incidence of accidental arterial puncture in the entire study population was significantly higher when ultrasound guidance was not used (P< 0.001). In subgroup analysis, incidence of arterial puncture was significant in both adult (P = 0.03) and pediatric patients (P< 0.001) without USG. First attempt cannulation was more often possible in pediatric patients under USG (P = 0.03). In adult patients USG did not improve first attempt cannulation except in underweight patients. CONCLUSIONS: USG helped in the avoidance of inadvertent arterial puncture during RIJV cannulation and simultaneously improved the chances of first attempt cannulation in pediatric and in underweight adult cardiac surgical patients.