Can Currently Available Non-invasive Continuous Blood Pressure Monitors Replace Invasive Measurement With an Arterial Catheter?

Deviations from normal blood pressure (BP) during general anesthesia have been clearly linked to several adverse outcomes. Measuring BP accurately is therefore critically important for producing excellent outcomes in health care. Normal BP does not necessarily guarantee adequate organ perfusion however and adverse events have occurred even when BP seemed adequate. Invasive blood pressure monitoring has recently evolved beyond merely measuring BP. Arterial line-derived pulse contour analysis is used now to assess both cardiac output and stroke volume variation as indices of adequate intravascular volume. Confirmation of acceptable cardiac output with data derived from invasive intra-arterial catheters has become very important when managing high-risk patients. Newer devices that measure BP continuously and non-invasively in the digital arteries via a finger cuff have also become available. Many clinicians contemplate now if these new devices are ready to replace invasive monitoring with an arterial catheter. Unlike non-invasive devices, intra-arterial catheters allow frequent blood sampling. This makes it possible to assess vital parameters like pH, hemoglobin concentration, ionized calcium, potassium, glucose, and arterial partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide frequently. Non-invasive continuous BP measurement has been found to be unreliable in critically ill patients, the elderly, and patients with calcified arteries. Pulse contour-derived estimates of cardiac output and stroke volume variation have been validated better with data derived from arterial lines than that from the newer finger cuff monitors. Significant advances have been recently made with non-invasive continuous BP monitors. Invasive monitoring with an arterial line however remains the gold standard for measuring BP and assessing pulse contour analysis-derived hemodynamic variables in critically ill patients. In the future, non-invasive continuous BP monitors will likely replace intermittent oscillometers in the operating room and the postoperative period. They will however not eliminate the need for arterial catheterization in critically ill patients.

Retained arterial catheter following patient self-discontinuation-a case report.

A patient self-discontinues arterial line resulting in retention of arterial catheter. The retained catheter was identified on bedside ultrasound and the patient required radial artery exploration and removal of catheter under general anesthesia. We describe potential contributing factors and solutions to catheter design and placement as well as next steps once a retained catheter has been identified.

Accuracy of intra-arterial line transducer levelling practice in a general intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: The intra-arterial line is a common device intervention used in the intensive care environment to provide continuous blood pressure measurement. The transducer line is levelled to the patient's phlebostatic axis to provide accurate measurements. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate registered nurses' accuracy at levelling the transducer to the correct anatomical position using visual judgement, compared to one done using a laser level. METHODS: Patient transducers were levelled by visual judgement and then by using a laser level. Time and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were recorded with each measurement along with any difference in transducer level between the two methods and subsequent changes in inotrope administration. RESULTS: A total of 577 MAP measurements were recorded from 178 patients; 70% of observations had a difference in transducer level, 30% of the time the inotrope rate was increased and 18% of the time the inotrope rate was reduced. The prevalence of clinically significant observations with an absolute difference of 50 mm or more in transducer placement was 25%. The mean difference in MAP measurements when a cut-off of 64 mmHg or more for laser was applied to the data was 0.22 (95% confidence interval: -0.14, 0.58, n = 513, p = 0.23), and for a cut-off of less than 64 for laser, a larger mean difference of 4.36 (95% confidence interval: 3.75, 5.28], n = 64, p < 0.001) was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Transducers were unable to be accurately levelled for haemodynamic monitoring using visual means alone. Over the range of patient MAP values examined, 25% of all observations had a clinically significant absolute difference of 50 mm or more in the transducer level position between the two methods. The visual method became increasingly inaccurate and unreliable at low MAP levels requiring medical intervention.

What Factors Are Associated With Arterial Line-Related Limb Ischemia in Patients on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation? A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: The primary purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with the development of arterial line-related limb ischemia in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The authors also sought to characterize and report the outcomes of patients who developed arterial line-related limb ischemia. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: A single academic tertiary referral ECMO center. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive patients who were treated with ECMO over 6 years. INTERVENTIONS: Use of arterial line. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 278 consecutive ECMO patients were included, with 19 (7%) patients developing arterial line-related limb ischemia during the ECMO run. Postcannulation Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.20, 95% CI 1.08-1.32), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation-II (aOR 0.84, 95% CI 0.74-0.95), and adjusted Vasopressor Dose Equivalence (aOR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05) scores were independently associated with the development of arterial line-associated limb ischemia. A SOFA score of ≥17 at the time of ECMO cannulation had an 80% sensitivity and 87% specificity for predicting arterial line-related limb ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: Arterial line-related limb ischemia is much more common in ECMO patients than in the typical intensive care unit setting. The SOFA score may be useful in identifying which patients may be at risk for arterial line-related limb ischemia. As this was a single-center retrospective study, these results are inherently exploratory, and prospective multicenter studies are necessary to validate these results.

POCUS increases successful placement of peripheral arterial lines in neonates by less experienced providers.

To assess success of peripheral arterial line (PAL) placement after implementing a point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) program in a neonatal intensive care unit. This was a retrospective chart review of infants who underwent successful PAL placement from January 2019 to March 2021. Outcomes included first-attempt success and the number of attempts with and without the use of POCUS. Among 80 PALs, 36% were POCUS-guided. All POCUS-guided lines were placed by providers with < 5 years neonatology experience. Among infants ≥ 2.5 kg, the use of POCUS was associated with fewer attempts compared to non-POCUS PAL placement (1 vs. 2, p = 0.035).     Conclusions: Use of POCUS for PAL placement was associated with fewer attempts for successful placement in infants ≥ 2.5 kg by providers with less neonatology experience compared with traditional method. What is Known: • Arterial line placement in neonates has been traditionally done by palpation and can be technically challenging. • POCUS is an emerging tool in the NICU with increasing number of less clinically experienced providers in the NICU having access to ultrasound. What is New: • Use of POCUS by less experienced clinicians for arterial line placement resulted in fewer attempts compared to the traditional landmark-based approach in a cohort of neonates.

Leveling the Battlefield: Development of a Pre-Deployment Vascular Access Curriculum for the Nonsurgical Provider.

INTRODUCTION: Timely vascular access is critical, as hemorrhage is the number one cause of death on the battlefield. Anecdotal evidence in the Military Health System identified an operationally relevant procedural skills gap in vascular access, and data exist in civilian literature showing high rates of iatrogenic injuries when lack of robust procedural opportunity exists. Multiple pre-deployment training courses are available for surgical providers, but no comprehensive pre-deployment vascular access training exists for non-surgical providers. METHODS: This mixed-method review aimed to find relevant, operationally focused, vascular access training publications. A literature review was done to identify both relevant military clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and full text articles. Reviewers also investigated available pre-deployment trainings for both surgeons and non-surgeons in which course administrators were contacted and details regarding the courses were described. RESULTS: We identified seven full-text articles and four CPGs. Two existing surgical training programs and Army, Navy, and Air Force pre-deployment training standards for non-surgeons were evaluated. CONCLUSION: A cost-effective and accessible pre-deployment curriculum utilizing reviewed literature in a "learn, do, perfect" structure is suggested, building on pre-existing structures while incorporating remotely accessible didactics, hands-on practice with portable simulation models, and live-feedback training.

Invasive Pressure Monitors: Leveling the Playing Field.

Invasive pressure monitors are ubiquitous in cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia. This technology allows beat-to-beat assessment of central venous, pulmonary, and arterial blood pressures during surgery, procedural interventions, and critical care. Education is commonly focused on the procedural aspects and the complications associated with the initial placement of these monitors without instruction on the technical concepts required for obtaining accurate data. Anesthesiologists must understand the fundamental concepts on which measurements are made to effectively use invasive pressure monitors, including pulmonary artery catheters, central venous catheters, intra-arterial catheters, external ventricular drains, and spinal or lumbar drains. This review will address important gaps in knowledge surrounding leveling and zeroing of invasive pressure monitors, emphasizing the impact of varied practice patterns on patient care.

Aortic arch replacement with simultaneous antegrade cerebral and systemic perfusion using a single centrifugal pump driven 'split arterial line' extracorporeal circuit design.

The ability to provide antegrade cerebral and systemic perfusion simultaneously may negate the requirement for any prolonged period of circulatory arrest during complex aortic arch reconstruction procedures, depending on the cannulation strategy. We describe the development and successful implementation of a custom 'split arterial line' extracorporeal circuit configuration to facilitate complex aortic surgery. This circuit design offers a wide range of cannulation and perfusion strategies, is safe, adaptable, simple to manage, and avoids the use of roller pumps for blood delivery, which are associated with deleterious haematological complications during prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass cases. The split arterial line approach has now become the standardised methodology for facilitating complex aortic surgery at our institution.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of arterial catheter insertion on robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the utility, outcomes, and cost of arterial line placement in a single institution cohort of patients undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed at a large tertiary care center from July 2018 through January 2021. Hospital costs and cost-effective analysis was performed on patients with and without arterial line placement. Means with standard deviations were used to report continuous variables, while numbers and percentages were utilized to describe categorical variables. T-tests and Chi-square tests compared categorical and continuous variables across study cohorts, respectively. Multivariable analyses were used to examine the association between A-line placement and outcomes as mentioned above adjusting for the effect of other co-variables. RESULTS: Among the 296 included patients, 138 (46.6%) had arterial lines. No preoperative patient characteristic predicted arterial line placement. Rates of complications and re-admissions were not statistically significant between the two groups. Arterial line use was associated with higher volumes of intraoperative fluid administration, as well as a longer hospital length of stay. Total cost and operative time did not significantly differ between cohorts, but arterial line placement increased variability of these factors. CONCLUSION: The use of arterial lines in patients undergoing RALP is not necessarily guideline-driven and does not decrease the rate of perioperative complications. However, it is associated with longer length of stay and increases variability in charge. These data show that the surgical team and anesthesia team should critically evaluate the need for arterial line placement in patients undergoing RALP.

Epidemiological Analysis of the Emergency Vascular Access in Pediatric Trauma Patients: Single-Center Experience of Intravenous, Intraosseous, Central Venous, and Arterial Line Placements.

Vascular access in severely injured pediatric trauma patients is associated with time-critical circumstances and low incidences, whereas only scarce literature on procedure performance is available. The purpose of this study was to analyze the performance of different vascular access procedures from the first contact at the scene until three hours after admission. Intubated pediatric trauma patients admitted from the scene to a single Level I trauma center between 2008 and 2019 were analyzed regarding intravenous (IV) and intraosseous (IO) accesses, central venous catheterization (CVC) and arterial line placement. Sixty-five children with a median age of 14 years and median injury severity score of 29 points were included, of which 62 (96.6%) underwent successful prehospital IV or IO access by emergency medical service (EMS) physicians, while it failed in two children (3.1%). On emergency department (ED) admission, IV cannulas of prehospital EMS had malfunctions or were dislodged in seven of 55 children (12.7%). IO access was performed in 17 children without complications, and was associated with younger age, higher injury severity and higher mortality. Fifty-two CVC placements (58 attempts) and 55 arterial line placements (59 attempts) were performed in 45 and 52 children, respectively. All CVC and arterial line placements were performed in the ED, operating room (OR) and intensive care unit (ICU). Ten mechanical complications related to CVC placement (17.8%) and seven related to arterial line placement (10.2%) were observed, none of which had outcome-relevant consequences. This case series suggests that mechanical issues of vascular access may frequently occur, underlining the need for special preparedness in prehospital, ED, ICU and OR environments.

Arterial line waveform dampening, during weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass.

Arterial line waveform; Blood pressure; Focal arterial dissection; Aortic dissection; Cardiothoracic surgery.

Influencia de la orientación de la luz arterial del catéter venoso central tunelizado para hemodiálisis en la disfunción precoz / Influence of arterial lumen orientation of the tunnelled central venous catheter for haemodialysis on early dysfunction

Objetivo: El objetivo del estudio fue analizar si la orientación lateral o medial de la luz arterial de los catéteres influye en su disfunción precoz.Material y Método: Estudio observacional prospectivo de 24 meses de duración. Se incluyeron pacientes adultos en hemodiálisis a los que se les canaliza por vez primera un catéter venoso tunelizado modelo Palindrome® o Bioflo Duramax®. Variables: orientación de luz arterial, modelo de catéter, socio-demográficas-clínicas, flujos de bomba de sangre, presiones arteriales y venosas, conductancia, complicaciones y características definitorias de disfunción precoz.Resultados: Se estudiaron 178 pacientes, con una edad media 64,4±15,1 años; 108 hombres; 105 con luz arterial en orientación lateral y 73 con orientación medial. Hubo disfunción precoz en 30 casos (16,9%): orientación lateral 63,3% (n=19) vs orientación medial 36,7% (n=11), (p=0,621). En todos los casos con disfunción precoz, fue necesario invertir las luces de los catéteres a las conexiones del circuito extracorpóreo, por un flujo de bomba<250 ml/min, siendo más frecuente en los catéteres Palindrome® con luz arterial en orientación lateral, 87,5% (n=7) vs orientación medial 12,5% (n=1), (p=0,063).Conclusiones: En nuestra muestra, la orientación de la luz arterial no influyó en la disfunción precoz de los catéteres. (AU)

Introduction: Dysfunction and infections are the most frequent causes of removal of tunneled central venous hemodialysis catheters. Objective: To analyse whether the lateral or medial orientation of the catheter’s arterial line influences early dysfunction. Material and Method: Prospective observational study of 24 months’ duration. Adult hemodialysis patients undergoing first-time cannulation of a tunneled venous catheter of the Palindrome® or Bioflo Duramax® model were included. Variables: arterial line orientation, catheter model, socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, blood pump flows, arterial and venous pressures, conductance, complications and defining characteristics of early dysfunction. Results: A total of 178 patients were studied, mean age 64.4±15.1 years; 108 men; 105 with arterial line in lateral orientation and 73 with medial orientation. There was early dysfunction in 30 cases (16.9%): lateral orientation 63.3% (n=19) vs medial orientation 36.7% (n=11), (p=0.621). In all cases with early dysfunction, it was necessary to reverse the catheter line to the extracorporeal circuit connections, due to a pump flow <250 ml/min, being more frequent in Palindrome® catheters with arterial line in lateral orientation, 87.5% (n=7) vs medial orientation 12.5% (n=1), (p=0.063). (AU)

Novel Multidisciplinary Vascular Access Team Helps to Improve ICU Workflow Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The surge in critically ill patients has pressured hospitals to expand their intensive care unit capacities and critical care staff. This was difficult given the country's shortage of intensivists. This paper describes the implementation of a multidisciplinary central line placement team and its impact in reducing the vascular access workload of ICU physicians during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Vascular surgeons, interventionalists, and anesthesiologists, were redeployed to the ICU Access team to place central and arterial lines. Nurses with expertise in vascular access were recruited to the team to streamline consultation and assist with line placement. RESULTS: While 51 central and arterial lines were placed per 100 ICU patients in 2019, there were 87 central and arterial lines placed per 100 COVID-19 ICU patients in the sole month of April, 2020. The ICU Access Team placed 107 of the 226 vascular access devices in April 2020, reducing the procedure-related workload of ICU treating teams by 46%. CONCLUSIONS: The ICU Access Team was able to complete a large proportion of vascular access insertions without reported complications. Given another mass casualty event, this ICU Access Team could be reassembled to rapidly meet the increased vascular access needs of patients.

Remote Blood Pressure Monitoring With a Wearable Photoplethysmographic Device (Senbiosys): Protocol for a Single-Center Prospective Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Wearable devices can provide user-friendly, accurate, and continuous blood pressure (BP) monitoring to assess patients' vital signs and achieve remote patient management. Remote BP monitoring can substantially improve BP control. The newest cuffless BP monitoring devices have emerged in patient care using photoplethysmography. OBJECTIVE: The Senbiosys trial aims to compare BP measurements of a new device capturing a photoplethysmography signal on the finger versus invasive measurements performed in patients with an arterial catheter in the intensive care unit (ICU) or referred for a coronarography at the Hospital of Fribourg. METHODS: The Senbiosys study is a single-center, single-arm, prospective trial. The study population consists of adult patients undergoing coronarography or patients in the ICU with an arterial catheter in place. This study will enroll 35 adult patients, including 25 patients addressed for a coronarography and 10 patients in the ICU. The primary outcome is the assessment of mean bias (95% CI) for systolic BP, diastolic BP, and mean BP between noninvasive and invasive BP measurements. Secondary outcomes include a reliability index (Qualification Index) for BP epochs and count of qualified epochs. RESULTS: Patient recruitment started in June 2021. Results are expected to be published by December 2021. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the Senbiosys trial are expected to improve remote BP monitoring. The diagnosis and treatment of hypertension should benefit from these advancements. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04379986; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04379986. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/30051.

Wrist Extension Does Not Change the Position of the Radial Artery: Cadaveric Study With Application to Arterial Line Placement, and Transradial Neurointerventional Procedures.

BACKGROUND: The radial artery is gaining popularity as a vascular access site for neurointerventional procedures. However, recent analyses of wrist position and radial artery anatomy has suggested that the extended position of the wrist is not always necessary. Therefore, the following cadaveric study was performed to verify these findings. METHODS: Twenty adult cadaveric upper limbs underwent dissection of the radial artery. The radial artery was exposed but left in its anatomical position. With the hand supinated, the wrist was extended to 45 degrees and 90 degrees. Observations were then made of any movement of the artery during these ranges of motion. Next, a tension gauge was attached to the radial artery and any tension on the artery measured during the above noted ranges of motion. RESULTS: During extension of the wrist, none of the radial artery specimens was found to move in any direction. Moreover, an average of only 0.28 N of tension on the artery was found with wrist extension up to 90 degrees. Our cadaveric study found that, contrary to popular belief, extension of the wrist during cannulation of the radial artery does not change the position of the artery nor does it significantly alter the tension on the artery. CONCLUSIONS: These data support several recent clinical studies.

Anesthetic management for the peripartum care of women with Fontan physiology.

BACKGROUND: As outcomes for surgical palliation have improved, women with single ventricle congenital heart disease are surviving into their reproductive years and may become pregnant. The cardiovascular changes of pregnancy may stress the Fontan circulation and pose significant risk to the mother and fetus. METHODS: Pregnant women with Fontan physiology were identified from the Ahmanson/UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center database. A total of 37 pregnancies were identified between 2000 and 2019. Twenty live births from 19 patients were reviewed and compared for cardiac history, obstetric history, anesthetic management and cardiovascular outcomes. RESULTS: Median gestational age at delivery was 35 weeks. Ten of 20 births were by cesarean delivery. An epidural technique was used as the primary anesthetic for 19 deliveries and general anesthesia was used for one cesarean delivery. An arterial line was placed in the peripartum period for three deliveries. Central venous access was established in the peripartum period for one patient. The mean blood loss for cesarean deliveries was 626 mL (range 240-1200 mL). The mean net peri-operative intake/output was positive 93.5 mL. Three patients were briefly transferred to the intensive care unit postpartum for higher level monitoring and care. CONCLUSION: Epidural anesthesia is safe and effective for both vaginal and cesarean deliveries. Judicious fluid management is critical in minimizing postpartum cardiovascular complications. Many patients do not require a higher level of care, invasive monitoring or central venous access during the peripartum period.

Characteristics of arterial catheter use and related complications in dogs and cats in an intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: To identify characteristics of arterial catheter use, including indwelling times and reasons for removal, and analyze potential risk factors for complications based on patient- and catheter-related variables. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study from July 2012 to September 2016. SETTING: University teaching hospital. ANIMALS: One hundred ninety-eight dogs and 29 cats with an arterial catheter monitored in the ICU. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A questionnaire was used to obtain patient and catheter information for arterial catheters monitored in the ICU during the study period. Two hundred twenty-seven catheters met the inclusion criteria. Most catheters were placed in the dorsal metatarsal artery in dogs (90.4%) and either the dorsal metatarsal artery (51.7%) or coccygeal artery (48.3%) in cats. Weights ranged from 1.5 to 64 kg in dogs and 0.77 to 8.7 kg in cats. The median indwelling time was 24 hours for dogs and 12 hours for cats. Minor complications occurred in 19.2% of catheters in dogs and 17.2% of those in cats with removal of catheter due to complications in 13 of 198 (6.6%) for dogs and 2 of 29 (6.9%) for cats. There was no association between the incidence of complications and patient weight, catheter indwelling time, species, insertion site, catheter size, or level of consciousness during placement. There was also no association between the method of catheter maintenance (intermittent flushing or continuous pressure transducer) and the failure of a catheter to aspirate or flush. CONCLUSIONS: Arterial catheter-related complications were relatively frequent, but most complications were minor and did not justify removal of the catheter. This suggests that the use of arterial catheters in both species is relatively safe. However, further research is needed to assess complications related to longer catheter indwelling times, particularly in cats.

Continuous Noninvasive Arterial Pressure Monitoring for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of the present study, which was conducted in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement, was to compare continuous noninvasive arterial pressure measured with the ClearSight device (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) with invasive radial artery pressure used as the reference method. The authors hypothesized that the ClearSight device is an accurate, precise, safe, and efficient method for arterial blood pressure measurement comparable with an invasive radial arterial line. DESIGN: The study included the retrospective review of 20 consecutive patients scheduled for elective transcatheter aortic valve replacement with the SAPIEN 3 transcatheter heart valve (Edwards Lifesciences) at a single tertiary academic hospital, who underwent monitoring with both the ClearSight device and an invasive radial arterial pressure line. The patients underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement from October to December 2019. SETTING: Single tertiary academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: The study comprised 20 patients, with 2,243 unique blood pressure data points. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A statistically significant correlation between the invasive radial arterial pressure line and the ClearSight device was observed for systolic blood pressure (correlation coefficient 0.86; p < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (correlation coefficient 0.56; p < 0.001), and mean arterial pressure (correlation coefficient 0.78; p < 0.001). Bland-Altman analysis was used to assess the agreement of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure between the two methods. Results for systolic blood pressure between the arterial line and ClearSight device were as follows: bias = 9.8 ± 10.1, percentage bias = 7.6%, and mean error = 15.8%. Results for diastolic blood pressure between the arterial line and ClearSight device were as follows: bias = -5.9 ± 7.8, percentage bias = 10.7%, and mean error = 28.4%. Results for mean arterial pressure between the arterial line and ClearSight device were as follows: bias = 0.3 ± 7.4, percentage bias = 0.4%, and mean error = 18.3%. The concordance rates of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure were 100%, 95.1%, and 98.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The accuracy, agreement, and precision of the ClearSight device were convincing for mean arterial pressure, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure for patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing elective transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Biplane Imaging Using Portable Ultrasound Devices for Vascular Access.

The use of ultrasound guidance for the placement of difficult IVs, arterial lines, and central venous access has become the standard of care. While imaging quality has improved over the last two decades, the lack of affordability, availability, and training have been major limitations in its routine clinical use. We detail the first reported use of biplane imaging using a portable ultrasound probe for difficult vascular access to increase first past success, efficiency, safety, and sterility during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.