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Is ECG‐guidance a helpful method to correctly position a central venous catheter during prehospital emergency care?
Author(s) -
David J. S.,
Tazarourte K.,
Perfus J. P.,
Savary D.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2005.00762.x
Subject(s) - medicine , central venous catheter , observational study , catheter , emergency department , emergency medicine , emergency medical services , medical emergency , intensive care medicine , surgery , nursing
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.