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. 2005 Aug;49(7):1010-4.
doi: 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2005.00762.x.

Is ECG-guidance a helpful method to correctly position a central venous catheter during prehospital emergency care?

J S David  1 , K Tazarourte, J P Perfus, D Savary
Affiliations

Is ECG-guidance a helpful method to correctly position a central venous catheter during prehospital emergency care?

J S David et al. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2005 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Insertion of a central venous catheter (CVC) in an emergency situation is challenging and may be potentially associated with more complications. Because CVC positioning by ECG-guidance may help to decrease the frequency of a malpositioned catheter, we decided to prospectively evaluate the usefulness of positioning a CVC by ECG-guidance during prehospital emergency care.

Methods: Prospective observational study during which all patients requiring CVC placement during prehospital care were included. We compared two periods of 1 year during which CVCs were inserted without and then with the help of ECG-guidance.

Results: Eighty successive patients were included. We observed a significant reduction of incorrectly positioned CVCs with ECG-guidance (13% vs. 38%, P < 0.05) and a decreased number of chest X-rays needed to verify the position of the CVC (40 vs. 54, P < 0.05).

Conclusion: ECG-guidance is a safe and feasible technique which significantly improved the rate of CVCs correctly positioned during prehospital emergency care.

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Comment in

  • Double jeopardy.
    Berthelsen PG. Berthelsen PG. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2006 Mar;50(3):391-2; author reply 392. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2006.00966.x. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2006. PMID: 16480481 No abstract available.

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