Randomized controlled trial of ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheter placement versus traditional techniques in difficult-access pediatric patients

External validation of the DIVA and DIVA3 clinical predictive rules to identify difficult intravenous access in paediatric patients

BACKGROUND

Intravenous (IV) peripheral access is often a difficult procedure in the paediatric ED, causing pain and significant distress. Clinical prediction tools including reproducible variables have been developed to help clinicians identify children at risk of difficult IV access, likely to need additional resources/interventions to maximise success at first attempt. We aimed to externally validate the Difficult IntraVenous Access (DIVA) and DIVA3 scores developed for this purpose.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study of children undergoing IV cannulation by nurses in a tertiary-care paediatric ED. Data were collected at the time of the procedure in a clinical report form.

RESULTS

Of 440 children included (56.8% males; median age 4.7 years (IQR 1.5-9.5)), 23.4% had a difficult IV access (defined as requiring >1 attempt). Diagnostic accuracy measures for a DIVA cut-off ≥4 and their 95% CIs were sensitivity 24.3% (16.4% to 33.7%), specificity 92.6% (89.2% to 95.1%), positive and negative predictive value 50.0% (35.3% to 64.5%) and 80.0% (75.7% to 83.9%), respectively. The same measures for the DIVA3 were 22.3% (14.7% to 31.6%), 93.5% (90.3% to 95.9%), 51.1% (35.8% to 66.3%) and 79.8% (75.4% to 83.6%). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.652 (95% CI 0.591 to 0.712) for the DIVA and 0.649 (95% CI 0.589 to 0.709) for the DIVA3 score. In patients with DIVA and DIVA3 <4, nurses' prediction of greater difficulty in IV placement and moderate/severe dehydration were common independent predictors of difficult IV at multivariate analysis. Only nurses' prediction of greater difficulty in IV placement were associated with higher odds of difficult cannulation for both DIVA/DIVA3 scores ≥4.

CONCLUSION

We externally validated the DIVA and DIVA3 showing a similar accuracy compared with the DIVA derivation cohort and between DIVA and DIVA3. We identified factors that can help refine further the risk of difficult IV access and support decision making on the best strategy to maximise the chances of cannulation success on first attempt.

Variation in Arterial and Central Venous Catheter Use in Pediatric Intensive Care Units

OBJECTIVE

Describe patient and hospital characteristics associated with Arterial Catheter (AC) or Central Venous Catheter (CVC) use among pediatric intensive care units (ICUs).

DESIGN

Hierarchical mixed effects analyses were used to identify patient and hospital characteristics associated with AC or CVC placement. The ICU adjusted median odds ratios (ICU-AMOR) for the admission ICU, marginal R², and conditional intraclass correlation coefficient were reported.

SETTING

166 PICUs in the Virtual PICU Systems (VPS, LLC) Database.

PATIENTS

682,791 patients with unscheduled admissions to the PICU.

INTERVENTION

None.

MEASURES AND MAIN RESULTS

ACs were placed in (median, [interquartile range]) 8.2% [4.9%-11.3%] of admissions, and CVCs were placed in 14.9% [10.4%-19.3%] of admissions across cohort ICUs. Measured patient characteristics explained about 25% of the variability in AC and CVC placement. Higher Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 (PIM2) illness severity scores were associated with increased odds of placement (Odds Ratio (95th% Confidence Interval)) AC: 1.88 (1.87-1.89) and CVC: 1.82 (1.81-1.83) per 1 unit increase in PIM2 score. Primary diagnoses of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hematology/oncology, infectious, renal/genitourinary, rheumatology, and transplant were associated with increased odds of AC or CVC placement compared to a primary respiratory diagnosis. Presence of in-house attendings 24/7 was associated with increased odds of AC placement 1.32 (1.11-1.57). Admission ICU explained 4.9% and 3.5% of the variability in AC or CVC placement, respectively. The ICU-AMOR showed a patient would have a median increase in odds of 55% and 43% for AC or CVC placement, respectively, if the same patient moved from an ICU with lower odds of placement to an ICU with higher odds of placement.

CONCLUSIONS

Variation in AC or CVC use exists among PICUs. The admission ICU was more strongly associated with AC than with CVC placement. Further study is needed to understand unexplained variation in AC and CVC use.

Ultrasound-guided placement of peripherally inserted intravenous catheters increase catheter dwell time in children

OBJECTIVE

To compare the dwell times of ultrasound-guided and non-ultrasound-guided short peripheral intravenous catheters in hospitalized children.

METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of data from 256 ultrasound-guided and 287 traditional peripheral intravenous catheters placed in hospitalized children between 1 September2016 and 31 October 2016 at a free-standing children's hospital with a 10-member vascular access team. A two-sample independent t test and Kaplan-Meier estimator were used to assess differences in dwell times between the ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheters and non-ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheters. Child age, peripheral intravenous catheter location, and subjective difficulty of placement were also analyzed.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference in mean hours of dwell time for ultrasound-guided versus non-ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheters (96.06 vs 59.39, p < 0.001). Mean increase in dwell time was 36.68 h (95% CI: [24.14-49.22]). Median dwell times (50% probability of survival) for ultrasound-guided and non-ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheters were 118 h (95% CI: [95-137]) and 71 h (95% CI: [61-79]), respectively. None of the additional covariates were significant predictors of dwell time.

CONCLUSION

Peripheral intravenous catheters placed using ultrasound-guided methods had a significantly longer dwell time than those placed using non-ultrasound-guided methods in a cohort of hospitalized pediatric patients. This is in line with the findings in the adult literature and may suggest a need to increase the use of ultrasound-guided method for peripheral intravenous catheter placement in pediatric practice.

Speeding the Detection of Vessel Cannulation: An In-Vitro Stimulation Study

BACKGROUND

Some practitioners "prime" small IV angiocatheter needles with 0.9% sodium chloride-claiming this modification speeds visual detection of blood in the angiocatheter flash chamber on vessel cannulation.

METHODS

We compared the time required for human blood to travel the length of saline-primed and saline-unprimed 24- and 22-gauge angiocatheter needles (Introcan Safety IV Catheter; B. Braun, Bethlehem, PA). A syringe pump (Medfusion 4000, Cary, NC) advanced each angiocatheter needle through the silicone membrane of an IV tubing "t-piece" (Microbore Extension Set, 5 Inch; Hospira, Lake Forest, IL) filled with freshly donated human blood. When the angiocatheter needle contacted the blood, an electrical circuit was completed, illuminating a light-emitting diode. We determined the time from light-emitting diode illumination to visual detection of blood in the flash chamber by video review. We tested 105 saline-primed angiocatheters and 105 unprimed angiocatheters in the 24- and 22-gauge angiocatheter sizes (420 catheters total). We analyzed the median time to visualize the flash using the nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum test in R (http://www.R-project.org/). The Stanford University Administrative Panel on Human Subjects in Medical Research determined that this project did not meet the definition of human subjects research and did not require institutional review board oversight.

RESULTS

In the 24-gauge angiocatheter group, the median (and interquartile range) time for blood to travel the length of the unprimed angiocatheter needle was 1.14 (0.61-1.47) seconds compared with 0.76 (0.41-1.20) seconds in the saline-primed group (P = 0.006). In the 22-gauge catheter group, the median (interquartile range) time for blood to travel the length of the unprimed angiocatheter needle was 1.80 (1.23-2.95) seconds compared with 1.46 (1.03-2.54) seconds in the saline-primed group (P = .046).

CONCLUSIONS

These results support the notion that priming small angiocatheter needles, in particular 24-gauge catheters, with 0.9% sodium chloride may provide earlier detection of vessel cannulation than with the unprimed angiocatheter.

General Pediatric Clinical Applications of POCUS: Part 2

The use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) performed by non-radiologists has become more widespread and is entering new arenas of clinical care, particularly in the world of pediatrics. Children are prime candidates for ultrasound because they are more at risk to the harmful effects of ionizing radiation than adults. This is the second part of a two-part article reviewing 10 uses of POCUS that pediatricians can apply to their practice in both inpatient and outpatient settings. [Pediatr Ann. 2020;49(4):e196-e200.].

Ultrasound-guided techniques for peripheral intravenous placement in children with difficult venous access

Peripheral intravenous placement in children can be challenging. Different techniques have been used to improve first pass success rates in children with known history of difficult venous access including surface landmarking, local warming, transillumination, ultrasonography, epidermal nitroglycerin, central venous access, intraosseous placement, and venous cutdown. Among these, ultrasound guidance has garnered the most interest among anesthesiologists. The cumulative literature surrounding the utility of ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous placement in children with and without difficult venous access has shown mixed results. Literature on the utility of ultrasound guidance for peripheral intravenous placement in children under deep sedation or anesthesia is limited but encouraging. This review summarizes the overall evidence for ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous placement in children with difficult venous access under deep sedation or general anesthesia. Furthermore, five subtly varying approaches to ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous placement with their advantages and disadvantages will be discussed. One of these five approaches is Dynamic Needle Tip Positioning. Utilizing a short axis out of plane ultrasound view, this promising technique allows for accurate needle tip localization and may increase the success rate of peripheral intravenous placement, even in small children, under deep sedation, or general anesthesia.

Risk of contrast extravasation with vascular access in computed tomography

PURPOSE

Diagnostic computed tomography (CT) imaging, utilizing intravenous (IV) contrast administration, has become increasingly common. Potential IV contrast-associated complications include local skin and soft tissue reactions due to extravasation. The goal of this study is to describe the risk of contrast extravasation based on IV catheter anatomic location in patients receiving contrast-enhanced CT imaging.

METHODS

The study was conducted as a retrospective cohort study of patients receiving contrast-enhanced CT imaging performed over a 26-month period at a single institution. The rate of contrast extravasation was calculated by IV catheter vessel anatomic location and compared by relative risk (RR) and absolute risk reduction (ARR).

RESULTS

Of 17,767 contrast administrations for CT imaging studies performed, 14,558 met study inclusion criteria. Forty-nine (0.34%) extravasation events were identified. Forty-one (0.28%, 95% CI 0.21-0.39%) extravasation events were observed in 14,275 peripheral IV catheters placed in a non-upper arm location. Eight (2.8%, 95% CI 1.3-5.3%) extravasation events were observed in 283 IV catheters placed, most commonly with point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) guidance, in upper arm vessels (RR 10.1, 95% CI 4.69-21.8). Non-upper arm located IV catheters were associated with an ARR of 2.54% (95% CI 0.61-4.47%) when compared to upper arm catheters.

CONCLUSIONS

IV catheter placement in upper arm vessels is associated with a relatively minimal increase in extravasation risk when compared to catheters placed in a non-upper arm location. In patients without alternative available peripheral vascular access, POCUS-guided upper arm IV cannulation may be an appropriate approach.

Influência de tecnologias para avaliação/visualização vascular no cateterismo intravenoso periférico: Revisão integrativa

RESUMO Objetivo verificar a influência da ultrassonografia vascular, emissão de luz infravermelha e iluminação transdérmica no sucesso da cateterização intravenosa periférica; número de tentativas, tempo para a realização do procedimento, permanência do cateter in situ e ocorrência de complicações em crianças, quando comparadas ao método tradicional. Método trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura realizada no período de 2018 a 2020 na Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus e Web of Science. Foram selecionados estudos originais, publicados entre 2007 e 2019, que comparassem o uso dessas tecnologias com o método tradicional da cateterização intravenosa periférica em crianças de 0 – 18 anos. Resultados de 52 estudos potenciais, 25 compuseram a amostra final, 10 relacionados ao uso da ultrassonografia vascular e 11 da luz infravermelha e 4 da iluminação transdérmica. Conclusão e implicações para a prática: o ultrassom parece ser a tecnologia mais eficaz para promover a obtenção bem sucedida da cateterização intravenosa periférica, porém há necessidade de realização de mais estudos que determinem melhor a eficácia das tecnologias estudadas na obtenção e manutenção da cateterização intravenosa periférica. Poderá propiciar práticas clínicas baseadas em evidências recentes, melhorando a qualidade da assistência à criança hospitalizada e sua família, através da promoção da segurança do paciente.

Use of smart glasses for ultrasound-guided peripheral venous access: a randomized controlled pilot study

Objective

Smart glasses can provide sonographers with real-time ultrasound images. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the utility of smart-glasses for ultrasound-guided peripheral venous access.

Methods

In this randomized, crossover-design, simulation study, 12 participants were recruited from the emergency department residents at a university hospital. Each participant attempted ultrasound-guided peripheral venous access on a pediatric phantom at intervals of 5 days with (glasses group) or without (non-glasses group) the use of smart glasses. In the glasses group, participants confirmed the ultrasound image through the lens of the smart glasses. In the non-glasses group, participants confirmed the ultrasound image through the display viewer located next to the phantom. Procedure time was regarded as the primary outcome, while secondary outcomes included the number of head movements for the participant, number of skin punctures, number of needle redirections, and subjective difficulty.

Results

No significant differences in procedural time were observed between the groups (non-glasses group: median time, 15.5 seconds; interquartile range [IQR], 10.3 to 27.3 seconds; glasses group: median time, 19.0 seconds; IQR, 14.3 to 39.3 seconds; P=0.58). The number of head movements was lower in the glasses group than in the non-glasses group (glasses group: median, 0; IQR, 0 to 0; non-glasses group: median, 4; IQR, 3 to 5; P<0.01). No significant differences in the number of skin punctures or needle restrictions were observed between the groups.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that smart-glasses may aid in ensuring ultrasound-guided peripheral venous access by reducing head movements.

Seeing Is Believing: Ultrasound in Pediatric Procedural Performance

Point-of-care ultrasound is currently widely used across the landscape of pediatric care. Ultrasound machines are now smaller, are easier to use, and have much improved image quality. They have become common in emergency departments, ICUs, inpatient wards, and outpatient clinics. Recent growth of supportive evidence makes a strong case for using point-of-care ultrasound for pediatric interventions such as vascular access (in particular, central-line placement), lumbar puncture, fluid drainage (paracentesis, thoracentesis, pericardiocentesis), suprapubic aspiration, and soft tissue incision and drainage. Our review of this evidence reveals that point-of-care ultrasound has become a powerful tool for improving procedural success and patient safety. Pediatric patients and clinicians performing procedures stand to benefit greatly from point-of-care ultrasound, because seeing is believing.

Implementation of a paediatric peripheral intravenous catheter care bundle: A quality improvement initiative

AIM

To improve paediatric peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) care through the implementation of care bundles.

METHODS

A pre-post study using mixed methods (clinical audit, staff survey, parent interviews) in 2016 at a tertiary paediatric hospital in Brisbane was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a PIVC insertion and maintenance bundle to improve PIVC insertion, promote function and support practice. Participants included children with PIVC, parents and staff inserting and managing PIVCs. A mnemonic care bundle, SUCCESS PIVCS (At insertion: Skills, Understand and prepare, Consent, Clean site, Escalate, Secure, Sign and document. During management: Prompt removal, Inspect hourly, Vein patency, Clean hands and Scrub the hub), was developed and implemented via visual aids, workshops and change champions. During audit, PIVC first-attempt insertion success, PIVC failure, PIVC dwell, escalation to senior clinicians and insertion and management procedures were measured.

RESULTS

Pre-implementation audit (n = 102) and survey (n = 117) data described high rates of PIVC failure (n = 50; 49%), difficulty obtaining equipment (n = 64; 55%) and pressure to insert (n = 50; 43%). Parent interviews (n = 15) identified lack of communication, fear, appreciation of skilled technicians and technology and care giver roles as key to improving the experience. After implementation first-attempt insertion success (45 vs. 62%; risk ratio 1.37, 95% confidence interval 1.05-1.78), first-attempt escalation to senior clinicians (junior doctor 72 vs. 41%; P = <0.001) and median PIVC dwell (40 vs. 52 h; P = 0.021) improved.

CONCLUSION

This multi-level care bundle demonstrated improvements in the insertion and management of PIVCs; however, PIVC failure remained high.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound for the Pediatric Hospitalist's Practice

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has the potential to provide real-time valuable information that could alter diagnosis, treatment, and management practices in pediatric hospital medicine. We review the existing pediatric POCUS literature to identify potential clinical applications within the scope of pediatric hospital medicine. Diagnostic point-of-care applications most relevant to the pediatric hospitalist include lung ultrasound for pneumothorax, pleural effusion, pneumonia, and bronchiolitis; cardiac ultrasound for global cardiac function and hydration status; renal or bladder ultrasound for nephrolithiasis, hydronephrosis, and bladder volumes; soft tissue ultrasound for differentiating cellulitis from abscess; and procedural-guidance applications, including line placement, lumbar puncture, and abscess incision and drainage. We discuss POCUS applications with reviews of major pathologic findings, research gaps, the integration of POCUS into practice, and barriers to implementation.

Factors associated with difficult intravenous access in the pediatric emergency department

Background:

Successful intravenous catheter placement plays a vital role in the pediatric emergency department. We assessed pediatric emergency department–related factors associated with difficult intravenous catheter placement.

Method:

We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of patients younger than 18 years who had an intravenous catheter placement attempt during their pediatric emergency department stay. Difficult intravenous access was defined as intravenous catheter placement requiring more than one attempt. The demographic-, clinical- and procedure-related factors were collected, and a logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the factors associated with difficult intravenous access.

Result:

In total, 925 patients were enrolled, and 77 (8.32%) cases had difficult intravenous access. The median age of the patients was 3.0 (interquartile range = 1–9) years, and 496 (53.6%) patients were male. After adjustment, we found that age (odds ratio = 0.91, 95% confidence interval = (0.85–0.98), p = 0.01); a history of prematurity (odds ratio = 2.31, 95% confidence interval (1.08–4.98), p = 0.03); the intravenous catheter insertion site (foot versus hand odds ratio = 5.65, 95% confidence interval = (2.97–10.75); p < 0.001); and the experience of the provider (<6 months versus ⩾12 months odds ratio = 4.59, 95% confidence interval = (1.92–11.01), p = 0.01) were associated with difficult intravenous access. However, the acuity of disease, crowdedness at the pediatric emergency department, sex, vein visibility, vein palpability, intravenous catheter size, patients’ experience with intravenous access, and time of day were not significantly correlated with difficult intravenous access.

Conclusion:

The success rate of intravenous catheter placement at the pediatric emergency department could be improved by experienced providers. The acuity of disease and crowdedness at the pediatric emergency department were not significantly associated factors.

Should the CDC's recommendations for promptly removing unnecessary centrally inserted central catheters be enhanced? Ultrasound-guided peripheral venous cannulation to fully comply

PURPOSE

In an effort to reduce catheter-related bloodstream infection's incidence rates in an intensive care unit, several evidence-based procedures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for centrally inserted central catheters were implemented. A failure to fully comply with the recommendation for prompt removal of the centrally inserted central catheters was attributed, mainly to the difficulties and inadequacies raised from establishing peripheral venous access.

METHODS

The ultrasound-guided peripheral venous cannulation method as a supplementary intervention to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations was incorporated and examined during the subsequent year.

RESULTS

A significant reduction on catheter-related bloodstream infection incidence rates out of the expected range was found. Centrally inserted central catheters utilization ratios were reduced by 10.7% (p < 0.05; 58%-47%) and the catheter-related bloodstream infection incidence rate was reduced by 11.7 per thousand device-days (15.9-4.16/1000 centrally inserted central catheters days (2015-2016 group, respectively)).

CONCLUSION

The reduction of catheter-related bloodstream infection was higher than that described in the published literature. This probably shows that the combination of the five evidence-based procedures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention together with that of ultrasound-guided peripheral venous cannulation method can increase the compliance with the Category IA recommendation for removal or avoidance of unnecessary placement of centrally inserted central catheters and decrease the catheter-related bloodstream infections in a more effective way, by affecting the patients' centrally inserted central catheter exposure.

Attitudes towards three ultrasound-guided vascular access techniques in a paediatric emergency department

BACKGROUND

although nurses often place peripheral intravenous (IV) catheters, little is known about their perceptions regarding use of ultrasound guidance.

AIM

the authors aimed to determine paediatric emergency department nurses' attitudes toward ultrasound-guided IV access techniques and assessed practice change after training.

METHOD

In a cross-sectional study of nurses, they had didactic and hands-on practice sessions, using three short-axis ultrasound-guided IV access techniques on gel models. Outcomes included likability and ease of learning and performing the techniques. A 3-month follow-up questionnaire assessed attitudes and behavioural changes.

RESULTS

18 nurses were enrolled and 17 analysed. Participants liked all three techniques and thought they were easy to learn and perform. Eighty-two percent of the nurses used at least one technique clinically. The two-person self-guided technique was most preferred (65%) and used 3 months later (65%).

CONCLUSIONS

nurses reported generally positive attitudes toward all three ultrasound-guided IV access techniques, but preferred the two-person self-guided technique. Owing to the small sample size, these results cannot be generalised and further research is needed.

Getting to know a familiar face: Current and emerging focused ultrasound applications for the perioperative setting

Ultrasound technology is available in many pediatric perioperative settings. There is an increasing number of ultrasound applications for anesthesiologists which may enhance clinical performance, procedural safety, and patient outcomes. This review highlights the literature and experience supporting focused ultrasound applications in the pediatric perioperative setting across varied disciplines including anesthesiology. The review also suggests strategies for building educational and infrastructural systems to translate this technology into clinical practice.

Ultrasonographic Guidance to Improve First-Attempt Success in Children With Predicted Difficult Intravenous Access in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Controlled Trial

STUDY OBJECTIVE

We determine whether ultrasonographically guided intravenous line placement improves the rate of first-attempt success by 20% for children with predicted difficult intravenous access. Secondary objectives included determining whether ultrasonographically guided intravenous line placement reduces the attempt number, improves time to access or parental satisfaction, or affects intravenous line survival and complications.

METHODS

This was a prospective, randomized controlled trial conducted in an urban tertiary care pediatric emergency department that enrolled a convenience sample of children requiring an intravenous line and who were predicted to have difficult intravenous access according to a previously validated score. Participants were randomized to traditional or ultrasonographically guided intravenous line placement on first attempt and stratified by aged 0 to 3 versus older than 3 years.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty-seven patients were enrolled and randomized to traditional intravenous line or to a care bundle with a multidisciplinary team trained to place ultrasonographically guided intravenous lines. First-attempt success was increased in the ultrasonographically guided intravenous line placement arm (n=83) compared with the traditional intravenous line arm (n=84) (85.4% versus 45.8%; relative risk 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5 to 2.4). There were fewer attempts in the ultrasonographically guided intravenous line placement arm than in the traditional intravenous line arm (median 1 versus 2; median difference 1; 95% CI 0.8 to 1.2) and a shorter time from randomization to intravenous line flush (median 14 minutes [interquartile range 11 to 20] versus 28 minutes [interquartile range 16 to 42]). A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that ultrasonographically guided intravenous lines survived longer than traditional ones (median 7.3 days [95% CI 3.7 to 9.5] versus 2.3 days [95% CI 1.8 to 3.3]). There was no difference in complications between the groups. Parents were more satisfied with ultrasonographically guided intravenous line placement.

CONCLUSION

Ultrasonographically guided intravenous line placement in children with predicted difficult intravenous access improved first-attempt success and intravenous line longevity when conducted by a team of trained providers.

Limited Ultrasound Protocol for Upper Extremity Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Monitoring: A Pilot Study in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

OBJECTIVES

To assess whether a limited ultrasound (US) scanning protocol to monitor the upper extremity peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) location in neonates is feasible for experienced US operators.

METHODS

A radiologist, who was blinded to the PICC location on chest radiography, performed 14 US scans on 11 neonates with upper extremity PICCs. A US machine with 13-6-MHz linear and 8-4-MHz phased array transducers was used for the examinations.

RESULTS

The study population included 54% (n = 6) preterm infants, with 72% (n = 8) weighing less than 1500 g. The US location of the PICC was the same as the chest radiographic report in all 14 scans. A subclavicular long-axis view of the anterior chest visualized all PICCs in the subclavian or brachiocephalic veins. A parasternal long-axis right ventricular inflow view was able to visualize PICCs in the superior vena cava (SVC), and a subcostal long-axis view evaluated PICCs in the lower SVC and heart. The scanning time was location dependent: less than 5 minutes for PICCs in the brachiocephalic or subclavian vein and 5 to 10 minutes for PICCs in the SVC or heart. There were no desaturations below 90%, increases in the fraction of inspired oxygen need, or hypotension episodes during scanning.

CONCLUSIONS

A limited US scanning protocol to determine the upper extremity PICC location is feasible. Our protocol needs to be tested in neonatal providers before further dissemination.

Skin complications associated with vascular access devices: A secondary analysis of 13 studies involving 10,859 devices

BACKGROUND

Vascular access devices are widely used in healthcare settings worldwide. The insertion of a vascular access device creates a wound, vulnerable to irritation, injury and infection. Vascular access-associated skin complications are frequently reported in the literature, however very little evidence is available regarding the incidence and risk factors of these conditions to inform practice and technology development.

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the incidence of vascular access-associated skin complications, and to identify patient, catheter and healthcare-related characteristics associated with skin complication development.

DESIGN

Secondary data analysis from 13 multi-centre randomised controlled trials and observational studies evaluating technologies and performance of vascular access devices in clinical settings between 2008 and 2017.

SETTINGS

Six hospitals (metropolitan and regional) in Queensland, Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

The 13 studies involved paediatric and adult participants, across oncology, emergency, intensive care, and general hospital settings. A total of 7669 participants with 10,859 devices were included, involving peripheral venous (n = 9933), peripheral arterial (n = 341), and central venous access (n = 585) devices.

ANALYSIS

Standardised study data were extracted into a single database. Clinical and demographic data were descriptively reported. Cox proportional hazards regression models (stratified by peripheral vs central) were used for time-to-event, per-device analyses to examine risk factors. Univariate associations were undertaken due to complexities with missing data in both outcomes and covariates, with p < 0.01 to reduce the effect of multiple comparisons.

RESULTS

Over 12% of devices were associated with skin complication, at 46.2 per 1000 catheter days for peripheral venous and arterial devices (95% confidence interval, CI 42.1-50.7), and 22.5 per 1000 catheter days for central devices (95% CI 16.5-306). The most common skin complications were bruising (peripheral n = 134, 3.7%; central n = 33, 6.8%), and swelling due to infiltration for peripheral devices (n = 296; 2.9%), and dermatitis for central devices (n = 13; 2.2%). The significant risk factors for these complications were predominantly related to device (e.g., skin tears associated with peripheral arterial catheters [hazard ratio, HR 16.0], radial insertion [HR 18.0] basilic insertion [HR 26.0])) and patient characteristics (e.g., poor skin integrity associated with increased risk of peripheral device bruising [HR 4.12], infiltration [HR 1.98], and skin tear [HR 48.4]), rather than management approaches.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant skin complications can develop during the life of peripheral and central vascular access devices, and these are associated with several modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Further research is needed to evaluate effectiveness technologies to prevent and treat skin complications associated with vascular access devices.

Recent Advances in Technology and Its Applications to Pediatric Emergency Care

Advances in technology are continuously transforming medical care, including pediatric emergency medicine. The increasing adoption of point-of-care ultrasound examination can improve timely diagnoses without radiation and aids the performance of common procedures. The recent dramatic increase in electronic health record adoption offers an opportunity for enhanced clinical decision-making support. Simulation training and advances in technologies can provide continued proficiency training despite decreasing opportunities for pediatric procedures and cardiorespiratory resuscitation performance. This article reviews these and other recent advances in technology that have had the greatest impact on the current practice of pediatric emergency medicine.

Diagnostic Bedside Ultrasound Program Development in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine: Results of a National Survey

OBJECTIVES

To assess current diagnostic bedside ultrasound program core element (training, credentialing, image storage, documentation, and quality assurance) implementation across pediatric critical care medicine divisions in the United States.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional questionnaire-based needs assessment survey.

SETTING

Pediatric critical care medicine divisions with an Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education-accredited fellowship.

RESPONDENTS

Divisional leaders in education and/or bedside ultrasound training.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Fifty-five of 67 pediatric critical care medicine divisions (82%) with an Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education-accredited fellowship provided responses. Overall, 63% of responding divisions (34/54) were clinically performing diagnostic bedside ultrasound studies with no difference between divisions with large versus small units. Diagnostic bedside ultrasound training is available for pediatric critical care medicine fellows within 67% of divisions (35/52) with no difference in availability between divisions with large versus small units. Other core elements were present in less than 25% of all divisions performing clinical studies, with a statistically significant increase in credentialing and documentation among divisions with large units (p = 0.048 and 0.01, respectively). All core elements were perceived to have not only high impact in program development but also high effort in implementation. Assuming that all structural elements could be effectively implemented within their division, 83% of respondents (43/52) agreed that diagnostic bedside ultrasound should be a core curricular component of fellowship education.

CONCLUSIONS

Diagnostic bedside ultrasound is increasingly prevalent in training and clinical use across the pediatric critical care medicine landscape despite frequently absent core programmatic infrastructural elements. These core elements are perceived as important to program development, regardless of division unit size. Shared standardized resources may assist in reducing the effort in core element implementation and allow us to measure important educational and clinical outcomes.

Ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous access placement for children in the emergency department

The usefulness of ultrasound guidance in peripheral intravenous access placement has yet to be established in children. In this prospective comparative study, we investigated success rates of intravenous access placement with ultrasound guidance in a pediatric emergency department. After a failed first attempt with the conventional technique, the second and third attempts were conducted using either the ultrasound guidance (a real-time, dual operator method) or the conventional technique. The success rates within the two interventional attempts were then compared. From a total of 712 participants, those with a failed first attempt were allocated to the ultrasound guidance (n = 99) and conventional technique (n = 100) groups. The success rate was significantly lower for the ultrasound guidance (65%) than for the conventional technique (84%) group (p = 0.002, chi-square test). This remained significant after adjusting for confounders with multiple logistic regression analysis (odds ratio 2.60, 95% confidence interval 1.26-5.37, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound-guided intravenous access placement using a real-time, dual operator method led to a significantly lower success rate than the conventional technique in children with one failed conventional attempt in the emergency department.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

UMIN000014730 What is Known: • Children experience a low success rate (about 60% with 1 attempt and about 90% with 4 attempts) for IV access placement. • Ultrasound guidance may lead to a decreased number of attempts and shorter procedural time with comparable overall IV success rate. What is New: • Ultrasound-guided IV placement (a real-time, dual operator method) actually led to a significantly lower IV success rate than the conventional technique in children in the emergency department. • Our result warrants further trials to determine the precise population who benefits from ultrasound guidance.

A prospective feasibility trial of a novel intravascular catheter system with retractable coiled tip guidewire placed in difficult intravascular access (DIVA) patients in the Emergency Department

The primary study objective was to evaluate insertion success rates. Secondary objectives included patient satisfaction, procedure time, complication rates, completion of therapy and dwell time of the novel AccuCath^® 2.25″ Blood Control (BC) Catheter System (FDA approved) placed in difficult-access patients. This was a single-arm feasibility trial evaluating the AccuCath^® 2.25″ BC Catheter System in a convenience sample of DIVA patients defined as at least two failed initial attempts or a history of difficult access plus the inability to directly visualize or palpate a target vein. All enrolled patients were 18 years of age or older. A total of 120 patients were enrolled. These patients had an average of 3.7 and median of 3 prior attempts at vascular access prior to AccuCath placement. Successful access was gained in 100% of the patients, 77% on the first attempt and all within three attempts; 88.5% of patients completed therapy, with the remaining 12.5% experiencing minor complications that required discontinuation of the catheter. The average patient satisfaction score on a 5-point Likert scale was highly positive at 4.6. Preliminary results show that the AccuCath^® 2.25″ BC Catheter System has excellent success rates in gaining vascular access in an extremely difficult patient population. The device did not lead to any significant complications. Patients were also very satisfied with the procedure.

Point of care ultrasonography in the pediatric emergency department

IMPORTANCE

Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) allows to obtain real-time images to correlate with the patient's presenting signs and symptoms. It can be used by various specialties and may be broadly divided into diagnostic and procedural applications.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed at reviewing current knowledge on the use of POCUS in Pediatric Emergency Departments (PEDs).

FINDINGS

US diagnostic capacity in paediatric patients with suspected pneumonia has been studied and debated whereas literature regarding the usefulness of point-of-care echocardiography in the pediatric setting is still limited. Similarly, Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) has become a standard procedure in adult emergency medicine but it is still not well codified in the pediatric practice. Concerning procedural applications of POCUS we identified 4 main groups: peripheral vascular access, bladder catheterizations, identification and drainage of abnormal fluid collections and foreign body identification.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Bedside emergency ultrasound is routinely used by adult emergency physicians and in the last 10 years its application is recognized and applied in PED. Pediatric emergency physicians are encouraged to familiarize with POCUS as it is a safe technology and can be extremely helpful in performing diagnosis, managing critical situations and guiding procedures, which results in globally improving pediatric patients care.

First-Attempt Success, Longevity, and Complication Rates of Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Intravenous Catheters in Children

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the success rates, longevity, and complications of ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous lines (USgPIVs) placed in a pediatric emergency department.

METHODS

The study analyzed 300 USgPIV attempts in an urban tertiary-care pediatric emergency department. Data regarding USgPIV placement were collected from a 1-page form completed by the clinician placing the USgPIV. The time and reason for USgPIV removal were extracted from the medical record for patients with USgPIVs admitted to the hospital. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed.

RESULTS

This study demonstrated a success rate of 68% and 87% for the first and second attempts with USgPIV. Fifty-five percent of patients had 1 or more prior traditional intravenous access attempt. Most USgPIVs placed on patients admitted to the hospital were removed because they were no longer needed (101/160). We calculated a Kaplan-Meier median survival of 143 hours (6 days; interquartile range, 68-246 hours). The failure rate at 48 hours was 25%.

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound-guided intravenous access is a feasible alternative to traditional peripheral intravenous access in the pediatric emergency setting. We observed a high first-stick success rate even in patients who had failed traditional peripheral intravenous access attempts, few complications, and a long intravenous survival time.

Obtaining central access in challenging pediatric patients

PURPOSE

Central catheter placement is one of the most commonly performed procedures by pediatric surgeons. Here, we present a case series of patients where central access was obtained at our institution with the utilization of a novel ultrasound-guided technique. This series represents the first of its kind where the native, parent vessels were inaccessible, resulting in a challenging situation for providers.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was performed in pediatric patients (0-17 years) at a tertiary care institution between July 2012 and November 2017 on all central line procedures where ultrasound was utilized to cannulate the brachiocephalic or superior vena cava in face of proximal occlusion. Our group has previous experience utilizing an image-guided in-plane approach to central line placement in the pediatric population. Demographics, operative characteristics, and postoperative complications were reviewed.

RESULTS

A total of 11 procedures were included in this case series where the BC (N = 9) or SVC (N = 2) were cannulated for access. Internal jugular vein cannulation was attempted on each patient unless preoperative imaging demonstrated occlusion. The median operative time was 43 ± 23 min. Most procedures were performed on the right sided (63%), with catheters ranging from 4.2F single lumen to 14F double lumen. Since being placed, three (27%) catheters have been removed, with one due to non-use, one due to sepsis, and the final one due to malposition.

CONCLUSION

With the continued need for long-term central access in the pediatric population, distal vein occlusion or inaccessibility can prove challenging when attempting to obtain central access. Here, demonstrated a safe alternative technique that provides an additional option in the pediatric surgeon's armamentarium for patients with difficult central access.

Can we successfully teach novice junior doctors basic interventional ultrasound in a single focused training session?

BACKGROUND

Ultrasonography is recognised as an invaluable imaging modality for assessing critically unwell patients and obtaining vascular access. Senior emergency medicine and anaesthetic clinicians will regularly use ultrasound-guided imaging to establish vascular access for unwell patients; however, junior doctors, who are routinely the first clinicians to review deteriorating patients, are not encouraged or required to develop basic ultrasound interventional skills and are therefore ill equipped to use ultrasonography.

AIM

To demonstrate that teaching basic interventional ultrasound skills to novice junior doctors in a single focused session is an achievable outcome.

METHOD

We reviewed the success of the 'Junior doctor Ultrasound Training' (JUST) course in teaching basic interventional ultrasound skills to junior clinicians. We collated information from 237 JUST delegates. We surveyed candidates' prior ultrasound experience and retrospectively analysed their level 2 Kirkpatrick formative assessment outcome following the JUST course.

RESULTS

The overwhelming majority of doctors had no prior ultrasound experience (>95%). 99% (235) of candidates performed ultrasound to an acceptable standard to pass the formative assessment. 73% (174) achieved the course outcomes independent of faculty prompting. 1% (2) candidates failed the formative assessment.

CONCLUSION

Basic ultrasound competency is an achievable educational outcome for the overwhelming majority of novice junior doctors. Our findings add to growing evidence that early ultrasound tuition can be both valuable and economical for training clinicians. By arming junior doctors with a relevant and versatile skill set, we can provide opportunity for clinicians to develop their expertise and prepare for the future challenges of clinical medicine.

Effectiveness of ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous cannulation in pediatric patients aged under three years: a systematic review protocol

REVIEW QUESTION

The objective of this systematic review is to identify, evaluate and synthesize evidence of effectiveness on ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous cannulation in pediatric patients aged under three years.Specially, the review question is: In pediatric patients aged under three years, what is the effect of ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous cannulation on the first attempt and on the overall success rate, time to cannulation and number of attempts for successful cannulation compared with the traditional blind approach?

Ultrasonography in Emergency Department; a Diagnostic Tool for Better Examination and Decision-Making

Context:

The aim of this study is to evaluate the applications of ultrasonography (US) as a diagnostic tool in emergency settings.

Evidence acquisition:

In the present review article, search engines and scientific databases of Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane were searched for the applications of US in emergencies. Finally, related articles which were published between 2000 and 2017, were selected and by reviewing them an attempt was made to evaluate various applications of US for examining and facilitating decision-making in emergency department (ED).

Results:

As a diagnostic tool, US can be of diagnostic help in emergency settings for the specialists and the treatment team regarding trauma, measuring intracranial pressure (ICP), hemothorax pneumothorax, abscess and its drainage, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), dyspnea, acute abdomen, appendicitis and biliary problems, renal colic and renal stones, shock, foreign object, bone fracture, peripheral nerve block, establishing central and peripheral venous access, lumbar puncture (LP), and confirmation of nasogastric tube (NGT) and endotracheal tube (ETT) placement.

Conclusion:

The results of this review study showed that US can be of help to EMPs as a diagnostic tool in a wide range of diseases and clinical conditions, which in turn can result in a decrease in the time needed for diagnosis and treatment, and therefore improve both the quality and quantity of the service provided in ED.

Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Intravenous Line Placement: A Narrative Review of Evidence-based Best Practices

Peripheral intravenous line placement is a common procedure in emergency medicine. Ultrasound guidance has been demonstrated to improve success rates, as well as decrease complications and pain. This paper provides a narrative review of the literature focusing on best practices and techniques to improve performance with this procedure. We provide an evidence-based discussion of preparation for the procedure, vein and catheter selection, multiple techniques for placement, and line confirmation.

A randomised crossover study to compare the cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches to ultrasound-guided peripheral venepuncture in a model

Background

Ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous access may present an alternative to central or intraosseous access in patients with difficult peripheral veins. Using venepuncture of a phantom model as a proxy, we investigated whether novice ultrasound users should adopt a cross-sectional or longitudinal approach when learning to access peripheral veins under ultrasound guidance. This result would inform the development of a structured training method for this procedure.

Methods

We conducted a randomised controlled trial of 30 medical students. Subjects received 35 min of training, then attempted to aspirate 1 ml of synthetic blood from a deep vein in a training model under ultrasound guidance. Subjects attempted both the cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches. Group 1 used cross-sectional first, followed by longitudinal. Group 2 used longitudinal first, then cross-sectional. We measured the time from first puncture of the model’s skin to aspiration of fluid, and the number of attempts required. Subjects also reported difficulty ratings for each approach. Paired sample t-tests were used for statistical analysis.

Results

The mean number of attempts was 1.13 using the cross-sectional approach, compared with 1.30 using the longitudinal approach (p = 0.17). Mean time to aspiration of fluid was 45.1 s using the cross-sectional approach and 52.8 s using the longitudinal approach (p = 0.43). The mean difficulty score out of 10 was 3.97 for the cross-sectional approach and 3.93 for the longitudinal approach (p = 0.95).

Conclusions

We found no significant difference in effectiveness between the cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches to ultrasound-guided venepuncture when performed on a model. We believe that both approaches should be included when teaching ultrasound-guided peripheral vascular access. To confirm which approach would be best in clinical practice, we advocate future testing of both approaches on patients.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13089-017-0064-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Utility of near-infrared light devices for pediatric peripheral intravenous cannulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

We investigated the utility of near-infrared (NIR) light devices for peripheral intravenous cannulation (PIVC) in pediatric patients. We searched three databases, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane CENTRAL. Randomized controlled trials that compared PIVC using NIR light devices and the "traditional" method (with no assistive device) were included. The primary outcome was a failure rate at the first attempt, and the effect size was measured by the risk ratio for failure. Subgroup analysis was performed according to control group risk for failure at first attempt as an indicator of difficult procedure (low vs. high). Eleven studies were included in the meta-analysis. There was no significant difference in the primary outcome between the two methods (risk ratio 1.03, confidence interval 0.89-1.20, I ² = 48 %). In a subgroup analysis, the subgroup difference between subsets of low and high control group risk was significant (I ² = 83 %). In the subset of the high control group risk, using NIR light devices showed a lower risk for failure than the traditional method (risk ratio 0.81, confidence interval 0.64-1.01, I ² = 0 %).

CONCLUSION

Using NIR light devices did not have an impact on overall failure rate at the first attempt at PIVC in pediatric patients. What is Known: • Near-infrared light devices have been used to help vascular access especially for the pediatric patients. But, their utilities reported in previous studies were conflicting. What is New: • From this study, we could not find out overall benefit of using near-infrared light devices for pediatric peripheral intravenous cannulation. But, this device might be useful for the patients in a difficult condition of successful cannulation.

Innovative algorithm to evaluate the capabilities of visual, near infrared, and infrared technologies for the detection of veins for intravenous cannulation

Intravenous cannulation is the process of inserting a cannula into a vein to administrate medication, fluids, or to take blood samples. The process of identification and of locating veins plays an important role during the intravenous cannulation procedure to reduce health care costs and the suffering of patients. This paper compares the three technologies used to assess their suitability and capability for the detection of veins to support the cannulation process. Three types of cameras are used in this study; a visual, an infrared, and a near infrared. The collected images, 103 in total, from the three technologies have been analyzed using a wide range of image processing techniques and compared with identification templates to evaluate the performance of each technology. The results show that the near infrared technology supported by suitable LED illumination is the most effective for the visualization of veins. However, infrared thermography is found to be successful when followed by a cold stimulation.

Pediatric emergency medicine point-of-care ultrasound: summary of the evidence

The utility of point-of-care ultrasound is well supported by the medical literature. Consequently, pediatric emergency medicine providers have embraced this technology in everyday practice. Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a policy statement endorsing the use of point-of-care ultrasound by pediatric emergency medicine providers.  To date, there is no standard guideline for the practice of point-of-care ultrasound for this specialty. This document serves as an initial step in the detailed "how to" and description of individual point-of-care ultrasound examinations.  Pediatric emergency medicine providers should refer to this paper as reference for published research, objectives for learners, and standardized reporting guidelines.

The use of ultrasound for peripheral IV placement by vascular access team nurses at a tertiary children's hospital

PURPOSE

Children receiving treatment in the hospital frequently require intravenous (IV) access. Placement of short peripheral catheters can be painful and challenging especially in those children who have difficult access. Many children's hospitals have teams of specialized vascular access nurses experienced in peripheral catheter insertion, and at times use vein visualization devices, including ultrasound (US), to assist in peripheral IV placement. Our objectives were to describe the prevalence and success rate of US-guided peripheral IV placement by vascular access team nurses at a single tertiary children's hospital.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed quality assurance data kept by our institution's vascular access team between February, 2014 and March, 2014. Data extracted included: age, gender, number of attempts, if difficult, if ultimately successful and modality used to aid IV placement. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to analyze and report data.

RESULTS

There were 1111 patient-nurse encounters reported for peripheral IV placement over a six-week period, and a total of 1579 attempts. Ultimately 84% of the patients had successful IV placement. Overall, visualization and palpation was the most frequently used technique (50.1%), followed by near-infrared light (40.6%), US (8.0%), and transillumination (1.3%). The success rate of US (60% overall and 59.2% difficult) was not significantly different from other advanced visualization techniques.

CONCLUSIONS

Vascular access team nurses use US infrequently for peripheral IV placement, including in children with difficult access. Methods to increase its skillful use in difficult access patients and improve successful IV placements should be explored.

Prospective evaluation of the learning curve for ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheter placement

INTRODUCTION

It is unclear how many ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheters (USG PIVC) one must place to become proficient at the procedure. The objective of this study was to determine the learning curve associated with PIVC placement and determine how many attempts are required for non-physician learners to reach proficiency.

METHODS

This is a prospective observational study. Emergency department (ED) nurses and paramedics with competence in traditional PIVC placement underwent a USG PIVC placement training program. Their success or failure in placing USG PIVCs as part of patient care on ED patients with difficult IV access was monitored. Number of attempts (defined as one skin puncture) was recorded and success was defined as the ability to aspirate blood and flush saline. The probability of success over time was analyzed. Proficiency was defined a priori as 70% probability of success.

RESULTS

Thirty-three providers with 1077 PIV access attempts on 796 patients over 1000 unique patient ED encounters were included in the study. Overall success rate for all providers was 88.24% (86.3%-90.2%). LOcally WEighted Scatter-plot Smoother (Lowess) smoothing and mixed effects logistic regression analysis both determined that a learner's probability of success would be greater than 70% after four USG PIVCs have been placed. Post hoc analysis for a more stringent 88% success rate resulted in 15 and 26 required attempts, respectively.

DISCUSSION

After placement of four USG PIVCs, new learners of the procedure are capable of a greater than 70% success rate. A success rate of greater than 88% is achieved after 15 to 26 attempts.

Point-of-care ultrasonography by pediatric emergency physicians. Policy statement

Point-of-care ultrasonography is increasingly being used to facilitate accurate and timely diagnoses and to guide procedures. It is important for pediatric emergency physicians caring for patients in the emergency department to receive adequate and continued point-of-care ultrasonography training for those indications used in their practice setting. Emergency departments should have credentialing and quality assurance programs. Pediatric emergency medicine fellowships should provide appropriate training to physician trainees. Hospitals should provide privileges to physicians who demonstrate competency in point-of-care ultrasonography. Ongoing research will provide the necessary measures to define the optimal training and competency assessment standards. Requirements for credentialing and hospital privileges will vary and will be specific to individual departments and hospitals. As more physicians are trained and more research is completed, there should be one national standard for credentialing and privileging in point-of-care ultrasonography for pediatric emergency physicians.

Perceived Difficulty and Success Rate of Standard Versus Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Intravenous Cannulation in a Novice Study Group: A Randomized Crossover Trial

OBJECTIVES

To our knowledge, no previous studies have evaluated the perceived levels of difficulty between traditional and ultrasound (US)-guided peripheral intravenous (IV) access in the novice provider. We attempt to show that, in a group of medical students who have limited peripheral IV experience, US-guided peripheral IV cannulation can be achieved more effectively and with a lesser degree of difficulty than standard peripheral IV cannulation.

METHODS

We performed a randomized crossover study of 61 first- and second-year medical students. After a 1-hour training session, participants were randomized to either standard cannulation on a standard peripheral IV trainer or US-guided cannulation on a standard US IV trainer.

RESULTS

One hundred percent (61 of 61) of the participants in the US-guided IV group successfully achieved cannulation versus 56% (34 of 61) of the participants in the standard IV group (P < .001). The average number of attempts to obtain access in the US-guided IV group was 1.31 versus 2.16 in the standard IV group (P < .001). The average difficulty score assigned to US-guided cannulation was 2.81 of 10 versus 3.90 of 10 in the standard IV group (P = .003).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows a decrease in perceived difficulty and a concomitant increased ability to cannulate a vein using US versus traditional landmark guidance techniques, even in the novice phlebotomist.

Video-based Assessment of Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Insertion in the Resuscitation Area of a Pediatric Emergency Department

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to describe the frequency of and factors associated with prolonged peripheral intravenous catheter (PIV) insertion in the resuscitation area of a pediatric emergency department (PED).

METHODS

Video-based study of a consecutive sample of nontrauma patients undergoing PIV insertion in the resuscitation area of a PED. Preexisting videos were the main data source. The primary outcome was patients with prolonged duration of PIV insertion (>90 seconds from start of first attempt to successful flush/blood draw). Logistic regression identified variables independently associated with prolonged PIV insertion.

RESULTS

A total of 151 consecutive nontrauma patients underwent PIV insertion during a 2.5-month period. Sixty-nine patients (46%) had prolonged PIV insertion, including 14 for whom PED providers failed to insert PIVs. For patients with successful PIV insertion by PED providers, median duration was 48 seconds (interquartile range [IQR] = 23 to 295 seconds). Vascular access was ultimately achieved for 13 patients (93%) with initial insertion failure by the PED team (10 non-PED personnel, three intraosseous lines), with a median duration of 26.7 minutes (IQR = 19.9 to 34.2 minutes). Age ≤ 2 years (ORadj = 6.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.9 to 16.1) and musculoskeletal contractures (ORadj = 5.3; 95% CI = 1.6 to 17.2) were independently associated with prolonged PIV insertion.

CONCLUSIONS

Prolonged PIV insertion is common in a PED resuscitation area. When PED providers could not insert a PIV, time to insertion was very long. Young patients and those with contractures were at particular risk for prolonged and failed PIV placement. When emergent vascular access is required, alternative approaches should be considered early for these patients.

An Assessment Tool for the Placement of Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Intravenous Access

Background Ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous line (USGPIV) placement is becoming an important tool in current clinical practice. Many residency programs utilize unstructured clinical observation to evaluate residents in this and other procedural skills. Simulation-based assessment permits educators to make objective, standardized observations, and may be ideal for assessment of important procedural competencies. Objective We created a simulation-based assessment tool for the skill of USGPIV placement. Methods A checklist tool was developed by a review of relevant literature and an expert review in accordance with established guidelines. Emergency medicine residents were recruited and surveyed on previous experience with USGPIV placement. Blinded, independent reviewers then utilized the checklist to assess residents as they made up to 3 attempts at USGPIV placement on a simulated pediatric arm. Results Of the 26 residents enrolled in our study, 26 participated (100%). A best attempt checklist score greater than or equal to 9 out of 10 correlated with expert performance (P < .001). Agreement between independent raters on first-attempt USGPIV placement score was determined by weighted kappa statistics to be 0.93 (95% CI 086-1.00). Conclusions The checklist assessment tool has acceptable interrater reliability and ability to distinguish performance at differing levels of competence. We propose this tool as a valuable component in the assessment of USGPIV access, and we hope this article serves as a roadmap for other educators to create similar assessment tools.

Development of the A-DIVA Scale: A Clinical Predictive Scale to Identify Difficult Intravenous Access in Adult Patients Based on Clinical Observations

Placement of a peripheral intravenous catheter is a routine procedure in clinical practice, but failure of intravenous cannulation regularly occurs. An accurate and reliable predictive scale for difficult venous access creates the possibility to use other techniques in an earlier time frame. We aimed to develop a predictive scale to identify adult patients with a difficult intravenous access prospectively: the A-DIVA scale. This prospective, observational, cross-sectional cohort study was conducted between January 2014 and January 2015, and performed at the department of anesthesiology of the Catharina Hospital (Eindhoven, The Netherlands). Patients 18 years or older were eligible if scheduled for any surgical procedure, regardless ASA classification, demographics, and medical history. Experienced and certified anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists routinely obtained peripheral intravenous access. Cannulation was performed regarding standards for care. A failed peripheral intravenous cannulation on the first attempt was the outcome of interest. A population-based sample of 1063 patients was included. Failure of intravenous cannulation was observed in 182/1063 patients (17%). Five variables were associated with a failed first attempt of peripheral intravenous cannulation: palpability of the target vein (OR = 4.94, 95% CI [2.85-8.56]; P < 0.001), visibility of the target vein (OR = 3.63, 95% CI [2.09-6.32]; P < 0.001), a history of difficult peripheral intravenous cannulation (OR = 3.86, 95% CI [2.39-6.25]; P < 0.001), an unplanned indication for surgery (OR = 4.86, 95% CI [2.92-8.07]; P < 0.001), and the vein diameter of at most 2 millimeters (OR = 3.37, 95% CI [2.12-5.36]; P < 0.001). The scoring system was applied in 3 risk groups: 36/788 patients (5%) suffered from a failed first attempt in the low-risk group (A-DIVA score 0 or 1), whereas the medium (A-DIVA score 2 or 3) and high-risk group (A-DIVA score 4 plus), included 72/195 (37%) and 74/80 (93%) patients with a failed first attempt of inserting a peripheral intravenous catheter, respectively. The additive 5-variable A-DIVA scale is a reliable predictive rule that implies the probability to identify patients with a difficult intravenous access prospectively. Dutch Trial Register (ref: 4595).