Intraosseous infusion in children.

Objective: To assess the benefits and drawbacks of intraosseous infusion (I OI) for emergency therapy in children. Study design: Retrospective, non comparative study of IOI carried out betwe en January 1994 and June 1998. Patients: Forty-one children requiring without delay IOI either in the emer gency medical ambulance or the emergency admission and intensive therapy un its. Methods: The tibia was punctured by paediatricians either with Mallarme's t rocars in 1994 or Cook Critical Care trocars(R) from 1995 on. Results: Overall, 46 IOI have been carried out in 41 children with a median age of 18 months (range: 8 days-9 years). The main indications for 101 wer e the management of near drowning, road traffic accidents and cardiopulmona ry resuscitation. Complications included one articular puncture and nine su bcutaneous extravasations, requiring the puncture of the other limb in five cases. Conclusion: IOI is an easy technique for vascular access. It is indicated i n emergency cases when, after a delay of five minutes, other techniques hav e failed. (C) 1999 Elsevier, Paris.