Comparing Combined Short-Axis and Long-Axis Ultrasound-Guided Central Venous Catheterization With Conventional Short-Axis Out-of-Plane Approaches.

OBJECTIVE: Visualizing the needle tip using the short-axis out-of-plane (SA-OOP) ultrasound-guided central venous catheterization approach is difficult and results in posterior wall puncture (PWP). To improve needle tip visualization in the long-axis view, combining the SA-OOP and the long-axis in-plane approaches has been suggested. The authors, who previously reported on the utility of this technique using a manikin model, examined the feasibility of this novel method (referred to as the combined short-axis and long-axis [CSLA] approach) and compared the CSLA approach with the SA-OOP approach in humans for the present study. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Single institution, Rakuwakai Otowa Hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients undergoing cardiac or vascular surgeries. INTERVENTIONS: The CSLA and SA-OOP approaches were used for ultrasound-guided right jugular venous puncture. The puncturing procedures were determined arbitrarily preoperatively without consideration of the patient's neck anatomy and were based on the operator's preference without randomization. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The study comprised 100 patients. Successful guidewire insertion without PWP was performed in 48 patients (96%) in the CSLA approach group and 33 (66%) in the SA-OOP approach group; the rate was significantly higher in the CSLA approach group (p = 0.0001). The procedural durations were 27.5 (range 17.0-122.0) seconds in the CSLA approach group and 25.0 (range 15.0-158.0) seconds in the SA-OOP approach group (p = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the CSLA approach to ultrasound-guided central venous catheterization might help prevent PWP.