Modification of the right subclavian vein catheterization and its anatomic basis and techniques

Background Several million subclavian-vein catheters are placed in patients each year to enable caregivers to administer chemotherapy, total parenteral nutrition, or long-term antibiotics or to manage preoperative fluids. Subclavian venipuncture requires the position of a deep vein to be identified with only surface landmarks. But the traditional right subclavian vein (RSV) catheterization (primitive procedures) is not the answer for all patients. The precise location of the vein is not known, and it is important to select the most appropriate method to achieve central venous access safely in any given patient. To modify the primitive procedures of the RSV catheterization for greater success and reduce the complications, anatomic studies and ultrasonography were conducted and clinical applications were validated. Methods Anatomical observation and measurement of the RSV and its adjacent structures were performed on 20 adult cadavers according to modified procedures. The RSV catheterization of 2900 cases was carried out by the modified procedure, 500 of these cases were observed by ultrasonography after the operation. Results The anatomical studies and clinical application showed that the insertion point differs from the bodily form of fatness or leptosome. The clinical data revealed that in the 2900 cases which were performed with the modified approach, the success rate was 98.90% (2868 cases), the failure rate was 1.10% (32 cases), and the complication rate is 0.79% (23 cases), and the catheterization time is (31.2±10.5) minutes. Five hundred and sixty cases of the RSV catheterization were carried out by the recommended insertion procedure; the results were compared with the modified approach and the traditional approach. The successful rate of the traditional approach was 73.0%, of which the complication rate was 6.1%; the two approaches were significantly different (successful rate: χ 2=626.642, P <0.01; complication rate: χ 2=80.708, P <0.01). Conclusions The modified RSV catheterization is characterized with a higher success rate and less complications, and the insertion procedure differs from the bodily form of fatness or leptosome.

Impact of misplaced subclavian vein catheter into jugular vein on transpulmonary thermodilution measurement variables

Objective： The subclavian vein （SCV） is usually used to inject the indicator of cold saline for a transpul- monary thermodilution （TPTD） measurement. The SCV catheter being misplaced into the internal jugular （IJV） vein is a common occurrence. The present study explores the influence of a misplaced SCV catheter on TPTD variables. Methods： Thirteen severe acute pancreatitis （SAP） patients with malposition of the SCV catheter were enrolled in this study. TPTD variables including cardiac index （CI）, global end-diastolic volume index （GEDVI）, intrathoracic blood volume index （ITBVI）, and extravascular lung water index （EVLWl） were obtained after injection of cold saline via the misplaced SCV catheter. Then, the misplaced SCV catheter was removed and IJV access was constructed for a further set of TPTD variables. Comparisons were made between the TPTD results measured through the IJV and mis- placed SCV accesses. Results： A total of 104 measurements were made from TPTD curves after injection of cold saline via the IJV and misplaced SCV accesses. Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated an overestimation of ＋111.40 ml/m2 （limits of agreement： 6.13 and 216.70 ml/m2） for GEDVI and ITBVI after a misplaced SCV injection. There were no significant influences on CI and EVLWI. The biases of ＋0.17 L/（min.m2） for CI and ＋0.17 ml/kg for EVLWI were re- vealed by Bland-Altman analysis. Conclusions： The malposition of an SCV catheter does influence the accuracy of TPTD variables, especially GEDVI and ITBVI. The position of the SCV catheter should be confirmed by chest X-ray in order to make good use of the TPTD measurements.

Percutaneous repair of inadvertent subclavian artery cannulation： a case report

Although catheterization of the subclavian vein is a common procedure, it might be associated with life-threatening complications including accidental cannulation of subclavian artery. Rash sheath removal could result in fatal hemorrhage. We report a case of inadvertent 6F sheath cannulation of the right subclavian artery during a radiofrequency catheter ablation procedure and successful repair of the cannulation by Angio-Seal STS plus （St. Jude Medical, St. Paul, MN, US）, a collagen-base vascular closure device.