PERMANENT GUIDING VEIN PUNCTURE BY A NEW PULSED DOPPLER PROBE - EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY

Serious complications may occur after <<blind>> profound venous punctu re in intensive care units. To securize these punctures, we designed a new fingertip pulsed Doppler (FPD) 5 MHz probe with a lateral to cent er indentation to guide the needle into the ultrasonic flux. A specifi c ultrasound analyzer indicating depth and diameter of the vessel was made for this use. The material was first tested in an experimental an imal study. Results of-animal venous punctures were successfull 20/21. This material was then tested on patients with previous failure of << blind>> punctures: results of 4 FPD punctures were successfull in all 12 cases but one (catheterization not completed). We started a prospec tive multi-unit randomized study with various operators (junior reside nts, senior staff members), compared the success rate and type, the pr ocedure duration of blind standard versus FPD punctures. We conclude i n the safety and easy use of the FPD for central venous punctures.