BMJ  2003;327 (16 August), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7411.0-a

Ultrasonic guidance improves success of catheter placement

Ultrasonography guides central venous access more effectively than traditional methods based on anatomical landmarks. In a systematic review of 18 studies that used ultrasonic locating devices, Hind and colleagues (p 361) found that ultrasonic guidance was more successful, quicker, required fewer attempts, and resulted in fewer complications. For some procedures, real time two dimensional ultrasound machines proved more effective than Doppler needles and probe, which make blood flow audible but do not provide a visual image.


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Relevant Article

Ultrasonic locating devices for central venous cannulation: meta-analysis
Daniel Hind, Neill Calvert, Richard McWilliams, Andrew Davidson, Suzy Paisley, Catherine Beverley, and Steven Thomas
BMJ 2003 327: 361. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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