SONOGRAPHICALLY GUIDED PLACEMENT OF PERIPHERALLY INSERTED CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETERS - REVIEW OF 355 PROCEDURES

OBJECTIVE. This paper reviews our experience using sonographic guidanc e in the insertion of peripherally inserted central venous catheters ( PICCs). SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Three hundred fifty-five PICCs were plac ed in 262 patients, 19-92 years old, over a 24-month period using sono graphic guidance for the initial venous cannulation. RESULTS. The aver age number of punctures was 1.2, with an average procedure time of 21 min. Our overall success rate to achieve the initial venous access was 99%. TV contrast material was used in only 2% of the cases, after suc cessful initial venous access with sonographic guidance alone, to allo w demonstration of anatomic variations or lesions that interfered with the completion of the procedure. Two immediate minor complications oc curred. A high mar gin of safety was provided by avoiding the use of i odinated contrast medium and by visualizing the artery and its anatomi c relation to the vein before and during needle placement. CONCLUSION. Sonographic guidance yielded superior three-dimensional localization of the selected vein and its precise anatomic relationship to the arte ry. Our experience has led us to conclude that sonographically guided placement of PICCs is a fast, safe, efficient, and inexpensive techniq ue and should be the preferred method for PICC placement, especially i n patients with no clinically identifiable peripheral vein.