Time and resources of peripherally inserted central catheter insertion procedures: a comparison between blind insertion/chest X-ray and a real time tip navigation and confirmation system

Applications and potential of machine, learning augmented chest X-ray interpretation in cardiology

The chest X-ray (CXR) has a wide range of clinical indications in the field of cardiology, from the assessment of acute pathology to disease surveillance and screening. Despite many technological advancements, CXR interpretation error rates have remained constant for decades. The application of machine learning has the potential to substantially improve clinical workflow efficiency, pathology detection accuracy, error rates and clinical decision making in cardiology. To date, machine learning has been developed to improve image processing, facilitate pathology detection, optimize the clinical workflow, and facilitate risk stratification. This review explores the current and potential future applications of machine learning for chest radiography to facilitate clinical decision making in cardiology. It maps the current state of the science and considers additional potential use cases from the perspective of clinicians and technologists actively engaged in the development and deployment of deep learning driven clinical decision support systems.

[A clinical study on the optimal placement depth for peripherally inserted central catheter through the great saphenous vein in preterm infants]

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the correlation between optimal placement depth (OPD) and physical measurement parameters in preterm infants receiving placement of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) through the great saphenous vein (GSV), and to establish a predictive formula for OPD during the placement of PICC through the GSV.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed for the preterm infants who received the placement of PICC through the GSV in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from December 2022 to February 2024. According to the site of puncture [GSV of the knee joint (KJ) or the ankle joint (AJ)], they were divided into a GSV-KJ placement group (n=38) and a GSV-AJ placement group (n=33). The infants were measured in terms of body weight (BW), body length, the length of the upper and lower parts of the body, head circumference, and abdominal circumference at the time of placement. The Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between the above variables and OPD. A predictive formula was established for OPD in the placement of PICC via the GSV in preterm infants, and the predicted residual between the predicted depth and the ideal OPD was compared between the conventional predictive formula and the new predictive formula.

RESULTS

The Pearson correlation analysis showed that PICC OPD was significantly positively correlated with BW, body length, the length of the upper and lower parts of the body, head circumference, and abdominal circumference in both the GSV-KJ placement group and GSV-AJ placement group (P<0.05), with the highest degree of correlation between OPD and BW. The univariate linear regression analysis showed a linear relationship between PICC OPD and BW in both groups. The predictive formulas for OPD were as follows: GSV-KJ PICC OPD (cm) = 13.1 + 2.7 × BW (kg) and GSV-AJ PICC OPD (cm) = 13.4 + 6.0 × BW (kg), and the new predictive formulas had a significantly lower predicted residual than the conventional predictive formula (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

OPD for PICC through the GSV is positively correlated with BW, and the prediction results of the new predictive formula based on BW are closer to the ideal OPD.

Catheter detection by transthoracic echocardiography during placement of peripherally inserted central catheters: a real-time method for eliminating misplacement

BACKGROUND

Although guidelines and protocols are available for central venous access, existing methods lack specificity and sensitivity, especially when placing peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs). We evaluated the feasibility of catheter detection in the right atrial cavity using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) during PICC placement.

METHODS

This single-center, retrospective study included consecutive patients who underwent PICC placement between January 2022 and March 2023. TTE was performed to detect the arrival of the catheter in the right atrial cavity. Catheter misplacement was defined as an aberrant catheter position on chest x-ray (CXR). The primary endpoint was predicting catheter misplacement based on catheter detection in the right atrial cavity. The secondary endpoint was optimizing catheter placement and examining catheter-associated complications.

RESULTS

Of the 110 patients identified, 10 were excluded because of poor echogenicity and vein access failure. The remaining 100 patients underwent PICC placement with TTE. The catheter was visualized in the right atrial cavity in 90 patients. CXR exams revealed catheter misplacement in seven cases. Eight patients with catheter misplacement underwent the same procedure in the other arm. In two patients, PICC placement failed due to anatomical reasons. Catheter misplacement was detected using TTE with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 97% confidence interval (CI; 91.31%-99.36%), 90% CI (55.50%-99.75%), 99%, and 75%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

TTE is a reliable tool for detecting catheter misplacement and optimizing catheter tip positioning during PICC placement.

Effect of intracavitary electrocardiographic localization on the success rate and complications of PICC in infants

BACKGROUND

Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is widely used in chemotherapy of children with malignant tumors because of its safe operation and long indwelling time.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of intracavitary electroencephalogram (CEEG) localization technique on the success rate and complications of PICC in infants.

METHODS

A total of 180 children with PICC catheterization and maintenance at Shijiazhuang People's Hospital First Hospital from January 2017 to January 2020 were selected and divided into control group (n= 90 cases) and observation group (n= 90 cases). The control group observed the tip position of the fixed catheter through X-ray film and adjusted the catheter until its tip was located in the superior vena cava. The observation group used intracavitary electrocardiogram positioning technology. Comparison of the effects of two groups on the success rate and complications of PICC puncture in infants and young children.

RESULTS

The success rate of one puncture in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P< 0.05). Within one month of catheterization, 13 cases had complications, with an incidence rate of 16.00% lower than the control group's 34.00% (27/80) (P< 0.05). The screening test results showed that the specificity, sensitivity, Youden index, accuracy, kappa coefficient, positive and negative predictive value were 88.89%, 97.56%, 0.86, 96.00%, 0.86, 0.86, respectively. The measured values were 97.56% and 88.89% respectively, and the cost and time of localization were lower than those of X-ray.

CONCLUSION

The technique of intracavitary electrogram can be more accurate for infants to place the tip of central venous catheter through peripheral vein, which can effectively improve the success rate of one puncture with low cost, and has high reliability, accuracy and practicability, which is safe and effective.

A randomised trial of intracavitary electrocardiography versus surface landmark measurement for central venous access device placement

BACKGROUND

Malpositioned central venous access devices (CVADs) can lead to significant patient injury including central vein thrombosis and dysrhythmias. Intra-cavitary electrocardiography (IC ECG) has been recommended by peak professional bodies as an accurate alternative for bedside CVAD insertion, to reduce risk of malposition and allowing immediate use of the device. Our objective was to compare the effect of IC ECG on CVAD malposition compared to traditional institutional practice for CVAD placement.

METHODS

Randomised controlled trial of IC ECG CVAD insertion verses traditional CVAD insertion (surface landmark measurement with post insertion x ray). Patient recruitment was from December 2016 to July 2018. The setting was a 900-bed tertiary referral hospital based in South Western Sydney, Australia. Three hundred and forty-four adult patients requiring CVAD insertion for intravenous therapy, were enrolled and randomly allocated (1:1 ratio) to either IC-ECG (n = 172) or traditional (n = 172) CVAD insertion. Our primary outcome of interest was the rate of catheters not requiring repositioning after insertion (ready for use). Secondary outcomes were comparison of procedure time and cost.

RESULTS

Of the 172 patients allocated to the IC ECG method, 170 (99%) were ready for use immediately compared to 139 of the 172 (81%) in the traditional insertion group (difference, 95% confidence interval (CI): 18%, 11.9-24.1%). The total procedure time was mean 15 min (SD 8 min) for IC ECG and mean 36 min (SD 17 min) for traditional CVAD insertion (difference-19.9 min (95% CI-14.6 to -34.4). IC ECG guided CVAD insertion had a cost reduction of AUD $62.00 per procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

Using IC-ECG resulted in nearly no requirement for post-insertion repositioning of CVADs resulting in savings in time and cost and virtually eliminating the need for radiographic confirmation.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This trial is registered at the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (http://www.anzctr.org.au). The registration number is ACTRN12620000919910.

Vascular access unit: Six-years experience report in France

BACKGROUND

The role of nurses in peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) placement has been limited in France. Having a fully trained nurse-led PICC team can positively impact nursing profession and make better use of valuable human and economic healthcare resources. It can also improve the standards of patient's care, procedural experience, and safety.

AIM

The aim of this article is to report the successful outcomes of nurse-led PICC team performed over a 6-year period from a single central hospital in France.

METHODS

The authors reviewed all PICCs insertions performed by their trained nurse led team between 2014 and 2019. All quantitative and qualitative variables were considered: the patients admitted, the type of PICC inserted, overall procedural time, the mentor's help, the insert failures, the number of punctures required, the procedural pain utilizing Visual Analog Scale (VAS), any procedural complications, chest X-rays needed, the follow up to the eighth day (D8).

RESULTS

From 2014 to 2019, 12,687 PICC were inserted with 128 failed procedures (1%). In 2019, 73% of procedural insertion time was less than 10 min. The request of support rapidly decreased to 2 calls/month. More than 90% of procedures were associated with mild pain (VAS ⩽ 3). After the first month of training, 81% of all procedures were performed with a single insertion puncture. Accidental artery puncture during procedure was 0.5%. The authors found room for improvement, progressing from 97% in the first year to 99% in 2019. Furthermore, the authors found that only 1.85% of all catheters developed local infection within D8, and only 0.83% evolved in vein thrombosis. Total bloodstream infection was at 0.1%.

CONCLUSION

The authors report successful outcomes from data collected during the 6-year period demonstrating clear benefits of a nurse-led vascular access team with regard to system wide efficiencies and patient satisfaction.

Beyond the gut: spectrum of magnetic surgery devices

Since the 1970s, magnetic force has been used to augment modern surgical techniques with the aims of minimizing surgical trauma and optimizing minimally-invasive systems. The majority of current clinical applications for magnetic surgery are largely centered around gastrointestinal uses-such as gastrointestinal or bilioenteric anastomosis creation, stricturoplasty, sphincter augmentation, and the guidance of nasoenteric feeding tubes. However, as the field of magnetic surgery continues to advance, the development and clinical implementation of magnetic devices has expanded to treat a variety of non-gastrointestinal disorders including musculoskeletal (pectus excavatum, scoliosis), respiratory (obstructive sleep apnea), cardiovascular (coronary artery stenosis, end-stage renal disease), and genitourinary (stricture, nephrolithiasis) conditions. The purpose of this review is to discuss the current state of innovative magnetic surgical devices under clinical investigation or commercially available for the treatment of non-gastrointestinal disorders.

Automated precision localization of peripherally inserted central catheter tip through model-agnostic multi-stage networks

BACKGROUND

Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) have been widely used as one of the representative central venous lines (CVCs) due to their long-term intravascular access with low infectivity. However, PICCs have a fatal drawback of a high frequency of tip mispositions, increasing the risk of puncture, embolism, and complications such as cardiac arrhythmias. To automatically and precisely detect it, various attempts have been made by using the latest deep learning (DL) technologies. However, even with these approaches, it is still practically difficult to determine the tip location because the multiple fragments phenomenon (MFP) occurs in the process of predicting and extracting the PICC line required before predicting the tip.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to develop a system generally applied to existing models and to restore the PICC line more exactly by removing the MFs of the model output, thereby precisely localizing the actual tip position for detecting its misposition.

METHODS

To achieve this, we proposed a multi-stage DL-based framework post-processing the PICC line extraction result of the existing technology. Our method consists of the following three stages: 1. Existing PICC line segmentation network for a baseline, 2. Patch-based PICC line refinement network, 3. PICC line reconnection network. The proposed second and third-stage models address MFs caused by the sparseness of the PICC line and the line disconnection due to confusion with anatomical structures respectively, thereby enhancing tip detection.

RESULTS

To verify the objective performance of the proposed MFCN, internal validation and external validation were conducted. For internal validation, learning (130 samples) and verification (150 samples) were performed with 280 data, including PICC among Chest X-ray (CXR) images taken at our institution. External validation was conducted using a public dataset called the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR), and training (130 samples) and validation (150 samples) were performed with 280 data of CXR images, including PICC, which has the same number as that for internal validation. The performance was compared by root mean squared error (RMSE) and the ratio of single fragment images (RatioSFI) (i.e., the rate at which model predicts PICC as multiple sub-lines) according to whether or not MFCN is applied to seven conventional models (i.e., FCDN, UNET, AUNET, TUNET, FCDN-HT, UNET-ELL, and UNET-RPN). In internal validation, when MFCN was applied to the existing single model, MFP was improved by an average of 45 %. The RMSE improved over 63% from an average of 27.54 mm (17.16 to 35.80 mm) to 9.77 mm (9.11 to 10.98 mm). In external validation, when MFCN was applied, the MFP incidence rate decreased by an average of 32% and the RMSE decreased by an average of 65%. Therefore, by applying the proposed MFCN, we observed the consistent detection performance improvement of PICC tip location compared to the existing model.

CONCLUSION

In this study, we applied the proposed technique to the existing technique and demonstrated that it provides high tip detection performance, proving its high versatility and superiority. Therefore, we believe, in countries and regions where radiologists are scarce, that the proposed DL approach will be able to effectively detect PICC misposition on behalf of radiologists.

The intracavitary ECG method for tip location of ultrasound-guided centrally inserted central catheter in neonates

BACKGROUND

The correct position of the tip of a central venous access device is important in all patients, and especially in neonates. The traditional method of tip location (approximated intra-procedural length estimation + post procedural chest X-ray) is currently considered inaccurate and not cost-effective by most recent guidelines, which recommend the adoption of tip location by intracavitary electrocardiography (IC-ECG) whenever possible.

METHODS

This study prospectively investigated the applicability, the feasibility, the accuracy, and the safety IC-ECG for tip location in neonates requiring insertion of ultrasound-guided centrally inserted central venous catheters (CICCs) with caliber 3Fr or more. All catheter tip locations were verified using simultaneously both IC-ECG and ultrasound-based tip location, using the Neo-ECHOTIP protocol.

RESULTS

A total of 105 neonates were enrolled. The applicability of IC-ECG was 100% since a P wave was evident on the surface ECG of all neonates recruited for the study. The feasibility was also 100% since an increase of the P-wave was detected in all cases. The accuracy was also 100%, since a perfect match between IC-ECG based tip location and ultrasound-based tip location was found. There were no adverse events directly or indirectly related to the IC-ECG technique; no arrhythmias occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

When applied to ultrasound guided CICCs, tip location by IC-ECG is applicable and feasible in neonates, and it is safe and accurate.

Determination of optimal tip position of peripherally inserted central catheters using electrocardiography: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Accurate tip positioning of a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is crucial for optimal drug delivery and avoiding complications. The objective of this study was to evaluate the amplitude ratios of intravascular electrocardiography (ivECG) and external electrocardiography (exECG) according to the tip location.

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed ivECG, exECG, and chest X-ray (CXR) of 278 patients who underwent a PICC procedure. The tip-to-carina distance (TCD) was measured using vertebral body units (VBU) on CXR. Tip locations were categorized as follows: Zone 1, malposition (TCD < 0.8 VBU); Zone 2, suboptimal (0.8 VBU ≤ TCD < 1.5 VBU); Zone 3, optimal (1.5 VBU ≤ TCD ≤ 2.4 VBU); Zone 4, deep (TCD > 2.4 VBU). The amplitude ratios between ivECG and exECG and within ivECG were compared in each zone.

RESULTS

The ivECG/exECG amplitude ratios of P-wave (Piv/Pex) and QRS-complex (QRiv/QRex and RSiv/RSex) in Zone 3 were significantly higher than in Zones 1 and 2 (adjusted P < 0.05). The ivECG amplitude ratios of the P-wave and QRS-complex (Piv/QRiv and Piv/RSiv) were significantly lower in Zone 3 than in Zones 1 and 2 (adjusted P < 0.001). The calculated TCD using stepwise multiple regression analysis was estimated to be 1.121 + 0.078 × Piv/Pex - 0.172 × Piv/QRiv.

CONCLUSIONS

Though caution is required, amplitude ratios such as Piv/Pex and Piv/QRiv can help determine tip location during the PICC catheterization procedure.

The Evolving Use of Magnets in Surgery: Biomedical Considerations and a Review of Their Current Applications

The novel use of magnetic force to optimize modern surgical techniques originated in the 1970s. Since then, magnets have been utilized as an adjunct or alternative to a wide array of existing surgical procedures, ranging from gastrointestinal to vascular surgery. As the use of magnets in surgery continues to grow, the body of knowledge on magnetic surgical devices from preclinical development to clinical implementation has expanded significantly; however, the current magnetic surgical devices can be organized based on their core function: serving as a guidance system, creating a new connection, recreating a physiologic function, or utilization of an internal–external paired magnet system. The purpose of this article is to discuss the biomedical considerations during magnetic device development and review the current surgical applications of magnetic devices.

Classification of Central Venous Catheter Tip Position on Chest X-ray Using Artificial Intelligence

Recent studies utilizing deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) have described the central venous catheter (CVC) on chest radiography images. However, there have been no studies for the classification of the CVC tip position with a definite criterion on the chest radiograph. This study aimed to develop an algorithm for the automatic classification of proper depth with the application of automatic segmentation of the trachea and the CVC on chest radiographs using a deep CNN. This was a retrospective study that used plain chest supine anteroposterior radiographs. The trachea and CVC were segmented on images and three labels (shallow, proper, and deep position) were assigned based on the vertical distance between the tracheal carina and CVC tip. We used a two-stage approach model for the automatic segmentation of the trachea and CVC with U-net⁺⁺ and automatic classification of CVC placement with EfficientNet B4. The primary outcome was a successful three-label classification through five-fold validations with segmented images and a test with segmentation-free images. Of a total of 808 images, 207 images were manually segmented and the overall accuracy of the five-fold validation for the classification of three-class labels (mean (SD)) of five-fold validation was 0.76 (0.03). In the test for classification with 601 segmentation-free images, the average accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score were 0.82, 0.73, 0.73, and 0.73, respectively. We achieved the highest accuracy value of 0.91 in the shallow position label, while the highest F1-score was 0.82 in the deep position label. A deep CNN can achieve a comparative performance in the classification of the CVC position based on the distance from the carina to the CVC tip as well as automatic segmentation of the trachea and CVC on plain chest radiographs.

Experience of Radiology Technologists Performing Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICC)

Purpose We conducted this study to review our local experience of performing peripherally inserted central catheters by interventional radiology technologists.

Materials and Methods This is a retrospective study of peripherally inserted central catheters performed by interventional radiology technologists. These procedures were performed using ultrasound guidance for venous puncture and fluoroscopy or electrocardiography guidance followed by chest X-ray to confirm tip location.

Results We reviewed all peripherally inserted central catheters performed in interventional radiology between May 2017 and July 2020. The review process included the success rate, number of venous puncture attempts, method of guidance, procedure time, fluoroscopy time, catheter duration to removal, and complications.

Conclusion Interventional radiology technologists can perform peripherally inserted central catheters safely with high success rate. Extending interventional radiology technologists' role to perform peripherally inserted central catheters allow interventional radiologists to do more complex procedures. This enhances the workflow, increases the interventional radiology team efficiency, and improves the waiting time.

Direct cost of Peripherally Inserted Central Venous Catheter insertion by nurses in hospitalized adults

OBJECTIVES

to analyze the average direct cost of PICC insertion by nurses.

METHODS

this is a unique case study with a quantitative approach. The observation took place in a public hospital, collecting information on inputs used and procedure length. For the calculation of costs, time was multiplied by nurses' costs plus supplies. The US dollar was used to present the calculations. In the analysis, descriptive statistics of measures of central tendency and variability were used.

RESULTS

the sample corresponded to 139 observations. The average cost of PICC insertion totaled US$286.04, with 90.8% of materials, mainly catheter, and 9.2% of the labor. The procedure took an average of 50 minutes, at US$0.26 per minute for nurses. Conclusions: the average direct cost of PICC insertion was US$286.04, with emphasis on the catheter. The results can support management decisions for adequate material and professional sizing.

New formulas to predict the length of a peripherally inserted central catheter based on anteroposterior chest radiographs

PURPOSE

To develop formulas that predict the optimal length of a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) from variables measured on anteroposterior (AP) chest radiography (CXR).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 134 patients who underwent PICC insertion at the angiography suites were included. Clinical information such as patient height, weight, sex, age, cubital crease to inferior carina border length (CCL), and approach side were recorded. The following variables via measurement on AP-CXR were also collected: (1) distance from the T1 to T12 vertebra (DTV), (2) maximal horizontal thoracic diameter (MHTD), and (3) clavicle length (CL).

RESULTS

Significant correlations between CCL and the following variables were identified in linear regression analyses: approach side, height, weight, sex, DTV, MHTD, and CL. Multiple regression results motivated the following two formulas: (1) with height data, estimated CCL (cm) = 12.429 + 0.113 × Height + 0.377 × MHTD (if left side, add 2.933 cm, if female, subtract 0.723 cm); (2) without height data, estimated CCL = 19.409 + 0.424 × MHTD + 0.287 × CL + 0.203 × DTV (if left side, add 3.063 cm, if female, subtract 0.997 cm). Estimated final PICC length can be calculated as (Estimated CCL, cm) + 4.0 (distance from inferior carina border to about 2.0 vertebra body unit, cm) - (distance from set cubital crease to designated puncture point, cm).

CONCLUSION

This study suggests new formulas to predict the appropriate PICC length for bedside insertion using previous AP-CXRs. With this formula, ideal positioning of the catheter's tip can be achieved in the clinical practice, avoiding or minimalizing the exposed catheter out of skin. These formulas may be helpful for patients who cannot undergo intra-hospital transport due to hemodynamic instability or who are concerned about isolation precautions due to any infectious-related contamination.

Appropriateness of Replacing Fluoroscopic Guidance With ECG-Electromagnetic Guidance for PICC Insertion: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE. Coupled ECG-electromagnetic (EM) guidance shows promise for use in placement of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) when compared with the classic blind technique. However, ECG-EM guidance has not been appropriately compared with the reference standard of fluoroscopy (FX) guidance. Here, we aimed to compare ECG-EM guidance with FX guidance with regard to the final tip position of PICCs. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. A total of 120 patients (age range, 19-94 years) referred for PICC placement were randomized to the ECG-EM or FX group. All interventions were performed by PICC team members who had the same standardized training and experience. Final tip position was assessed using chest radiography and was classified as optimal, suboptimal, or inadequate requiring repositioning on the basis of the distance from the PICC tip to the cavoatrial junction (CAJ). Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test for final catheter tip position (mean distance from CAJ) and Fisher and chi-square tests for proportions. RESULTS. PICCs were successfully inserted in 118 patients (53 men and 65 women). Catheter tip positions were optimal or suboptimal in 100% of the FX group and 77.2% of the ECG-EM group. Furthermore, precision of placement was significantly better (p = .004) in the FX group (mean distance from the PICC tip to the CAJ = 0.83 cm) than in the ECGEM group (mean distance from the PICC tip to the CAJ = 1.37 cm). Thirteen (22.8%) of the PICCs placed using ECG-EM guidance, all of which were inserted from the left side, were qualified as inadequate requiring repositioning and required another intervention. CONCLUSION. Our results revealed significant differences in final tip position between the ECG-EM and FX guidance techniques and indicate that ECG-EM guidance cannot appropriately replace FX guidance among unselected patients. However, ECGEM guidance could be considered as an acceptable technique for patients in whom the PICC could be inserted from the right side. TRIAL REGISTRATION. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03652727.

Impact assessment following implementation of a vascular access team

BACKGROUND

A vascular access team (VAT) was created in 2018 with the aim of improving vascular access and reducing complications associated with catheters. The impact of the introduction of a VAT in the insertion and maintenance of peripheral insertion central catheters (PICCs) was assessed. The cost-benefit associated with the use of a VAT was evaluated and the satisfaction of patients and professionals interacting with the VAT was measured.

METHODS

In a prospective study, 275 PICCs inserted by the VAT were assessed for their impact on complications. PICCs were implanted with maximum barrier measures using an ultrasound with IC-ECG. Also, patient and professional satisfaction have been analysed thought a questionnaire over the phone or online, and hospital financial data was used to assess the cost impact of the insertion methodology followed by the VAT versus Anaesthesia Service.

RESULTS

The thrombosis rate was 2.5% (7) and the bacteraemia rate was 1.1% (3). The use of the IC-ECG was correlated with a lower complication than the RX + IC-ECG (OR = 3.28, p = 0.021). In addition, there was a high level of perceived satisfaction for the patients surveyed and for the healthcare professionals involved in the care and management of these devices. The calculated saving for the implementation of the VAT was 61.81% compared with PICCs implanted in Anaesthesia Service.

CONCLUSION

Low complication rates and high overall satisfaction scores in patients and professionals were observed, showing that a specialist VAT can have a positive impact in the insertion of PICCs and which also has a clear economic benefit.

The application of intracavitary electrocardiogram for tip location of femoral vein catheters in chemotherapy patients with superior vena cava obstruction

BACKGROUND

Most studies focused on the application of intracavitary electrocardiogram (IC-ECG) location in superior vena cava access catheterization, this study aimed to explore the effect of IC-ECG for tip location of femoral vein catheters in chemotherapy patients with superior vena cava obstruction (SVCO).

METHODS

A total of 158 patients placed catheters through superficial femoral vein from July 2016 to May 2019 were enrolled in the randomized controlled study. The patients were divided into two groups by envelope lottery method: X-ray location was used in the control group (n = 79); IC-ECG location was used in the observation group (n = 79). The catheters should be located at or near the inferior vena cava (IVC)-right atrium (RA) junction (above the level of diaphragm within the IVC). The general information of patients, clinical catheterization effects and catheter-related complications were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

No significant differences in general information, catheter obstruction, catheter-related thrombosis, catheter exit-site bleeding and infection were found between the groups. The rate of successful insertion at the first attempt and patient satisfaction in the observation group were significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). The time and cost of location and the incidence of catheter-related complications in the control group were 32.57 min and 140.51 Yuan and 21.5%, which were significantly higher than 6.94 min and 13.59 Yuan and 7.6% in the observation group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

IC-ECG accurately located the tip of femoral vein catheters, reduced the incidence of catheter-related complications and the time and cost of location, improved patient satisfaction.

Intracavitary electrocardiography for tip location during central venous catheterization: A narrative review of 70 years of clinical studies

Intracavitary electrocardiography is an accurate and non-invasive method for central venous access tip location. Using the catheter as a traveling intracavitary electrode, intracavitary electrocardiography is based on the increase in the detected amplitude of the P wave while approaching the cavoatrial junction. Despite having been adopted diffusely in clinical practice only in the last years, this method is not novel. In fact, it has first been described in the late 40s, during electrophysiological studies. After a long period of quiescence, it is in the last two decades of the XX century that intracavitary electrocardiography became popular as an effective mean of central venous catheters tip location. But the golden age of this technique began with the new millennium, as documented by high-quality studies in this period. In fact, in those years, intracavitary electrocardiography has been studied broadly, and important achievements in terms of comprehension of the technique, accuracy, and feasibility of the method in different populations and conditions (i.e. pediatrics, renal patients, atrial fibrillation) have been gained. In this review, we describe the technique, its history, and its current perspectives.

Magnetic Tracking and Electrocardiography-Guided Tip Confirmation System Versus Fluoroscopy for Placement of Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters: A Randomized, Noninferiority Comparison

PURPOSE

To determine whether the use of a magnetic tracking and electrocardiography-guided catheter tip confirmation system (TCS) is safe and noninferior to fluoroscopy concerning positioning accuracy of a peripheral inserted central catheter (PICC).

METHODS

In this prospective, randomized, single-center study, adult patients scheduled for PICC insertion were assigned 1:1 either to TCS or fluoroscopy. The primary objective was a noninferiority comparison of correct PICC tip position confirmed by X-ray obtained immediately after catheter insertion. Time needed for PICC insertion and insertion-related complications up to 14 days after the procedure were secondary outcomes to be assessed for superiority.

RESULTS

A total of 210 patients (62.3 ± 14.4 years, 63.8% male) were included at a single German center between June 2016 and October 2017. Correct PICC tip position was achieved in 84 of 103 TCS (82.4%) and 103 of 104 fluoroscopy patients (99.0%). One-sided 95% lower confidence limit on the difference between proportions was -23.1%. Thus, noninferiority of TCS was not established (p > 0.99). Insertion of PICC took longer with TCS compared to fluoroscopy (8.4 ± 3.7 min vs. 5.0 ± 2.7 min, p < 0.001). Incidence of complications within a mean follow-up of 5.0 ± 2.3 days did not differ significantly between groups.

CONCLUSION

Noninferiority of TCS to fluoroscopy in the incidence of correct PICC tip position was not reached. Ancillary benefit of TCS over fluoroscopy including less radiation exposure and lower resource requirements may nonetheless justify the use of TCS. The study is registered with Clinical.Trials.gov (Identifier: NCT02929368).

Surface measurement, intracardiac electrocardiogram and tracheal bifurcation techniques for locating the catheter tips of totally implantable venous access port

BACKGROUND

The purpose of our study is to compare the reliability and consistency of three commonly used techniques, which are surface measurement, intracardiac electrocardiogram (IECG) and tracheal bifurcation methods in measuring the tip location of totally implantable venous access port (TIVAP) in the same patient.

METHODS

The thirty-five patients scheduled for implantation of TIVAP were included and right subclavian vein was selected for venous access. We used surface measurement method (Group L) to estimate the length and position of catheter before catheterization, and then we used IECG method (Group E) to confirm the position of catheter during catheterization and after catheterization used tracheal bifurcation method by CT (Group T) for measurement. The differences of catheter length measured by three methods were compared by non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate the reliability of three methods and Bland-Altman chart was used to evaluate consistency.

RESULTS

There are no difference in the length of TIVAP catheter between L and T groups (P > 0.05), but they have significant differences comparing with E group (P < 0.05). The three positioning methods have a good consistency (ICC = 0.886, P < 0.05).Through linear regression analysis, the regression equation are: catheter length (mm) = 77.32 + 0.66 × height (cm), 36.25 + 0.81 × height (cm) and 68.82 + 0.70 × height (cm). The distances from catheter tip to the junction of superior vena cava and right atrium measured by IECG (Group E) was closer to the target value.

CONCLUSIONS

All three methods can be used to measure the length of TIVAP catheter, and IECG method is the most accurate. And similar to most studies, returning the catheter 20 mm after positioning can avoid catheter entering the right atrium, but we found that 10 mm is a sufficient length to achieve this.

Global hospital and operative costs associated with various ventral cavity procedures: a comprehensive literature review and analysis across regions

Objectives: The aim of this literature review was to provide a comprehensive report on hospital costs, and cost components, for a range of ventral cavity surgical procedures across three regions of focus: (1) Americas, (2) Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and (3) Asia-Pacific. Methods: A structured search was performed and utilized a combination of controlled vocabulary (e.g., "Hepatectomy", "Colectomy", "Costs and Cost Analysis") and keywords (e.g. "liver resection", "bowel removal", "economics"). Studies were considered eligible for inclusion if they reported hospital-related costs associated with the procedures of interest. Cost outcomes included operating room (OR) time costs, total OR costs, ward stay costs, total admission costs, OR cost per minute and ward cost per day. All costs were converted to 2018 USD. Results: Total admission costs were observed to be highest in the Americas, with an average cost of $15,791. The average OR time cost per minute was found to vary by region: $24.83 (Americas), $14.29 (Asia-Pacific), and $13.90 (EMEA). A cost-breakdown demonstrated that OR costs typically comprised close to 50%, or more, of hospital admission costs. This review also demonstrates that decreasing OR time by 30 min provides cost savings approximately equivalent to a 1-day reduction in ward time. Conclusion: This literature review provided a comprehensive assessment of hospital costs across various surgical procedures, approaches, and geographical regions. Our findings indicate that novel processes and healthcare technologies that aim to reduce resources such as operating time and hospital stay, can potentially provide resource savings for hospital payers.

A budget impact analysis of a magnetic sphincter augmentation device for the treatment of medication-refractory mechanical gastroesophageal reflux disease: a United States payer perspective

BACKGROUND

Medication-refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is sometimes treated with laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF); however, this is a non-reversible procedure associated with important side effects and the need for repeat surgery. Removable magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) devices are an alternative, effective, and safe treatment option for such patients who have some lower esophageal sphincter function. The objective of this study was to assess the economic impact of introducing MSA technology (i.e., LINX Reflux Management System) into current practice from a US-payer perspective.

METHODS

An economic budget impact model was developed over a 1-year time horizon that compared current treatment of GERD patients who are medically managed (but refractory) or receiving LNF to future treatment of GERD patients that included a mix of patients treated with medical management only, LNF, or MSA. Resources included within the analyses were index procedures (inpatient and outpatient use), reoperations (revisions and removals), readmissions, healthcare visits, diagnostic tests, procedures, and medications. Medicare payment rates were typically used to inform unit costs.

RESULTS

Assuming a hypothetical commercial insurance population of 1 million members, the base-case analysis estimated a net cost savings of $111,367 with introduction of the MSA. This translates to a savings of $0.01 per member per month. Results were largely driven by avoided inpatient procedures with use of the MSA device. Alternative analyses exploring the potential impact of increasing surgical volumes predicted that results would remain cost saving if the proportion of MSA market share taken from LNF was ≥ 90%.

CONCLUSIONS

This study predicts that the introduction of the MSA device would lead to favorable budget impact results for the treatment of medication-refractory mechanical GERD for commercial payers. Future analyses will benefit from inclusion of middle-ground treatments as well as longer time horizons.

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.

Clinical impact of the Sherlock 3CG® Tip Confirmation System for peripherally inserted central catheters

Objective

This study was performed to evaluate the technical success rate and catheter tip malposition rate of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) placement using the Sherlock 3CG® Tip Confirmation System (TCS).

Methods

In total, 114 patients who underwent PICC insertion via the Sherlock 3CG® TCS from October 2017 to February 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. The primary endpoints were the technical success rate, malposition rate, and mean procedure time. The secondary endpoints were the sex-related difference in the malposition rate, radiologist’s experience level, and side of insertion. Technical success was defined as procedure completion using only the Sherlock 3CG® TCS without a guidewire or fluoroscopy guidance. In accordance with the North American guidelines, an adequate position was defined as the lower third of the superior vena cava and the cavoatrial junction.

Results

The technical success rate was 97% (111/114). The malposition rate was 16% (18/111), and four catheters were repositioned. There were no significant differences in the malposition rate between the sexes, radiologist’s level of experience, or side of insertion.

Conclusions

PICC placement using the Sherlock 3CG® TCS yielded a high technical success rate and low catheter tip malposition rate regardless of the radiologist’s level of experience or side of insertion.

A Deep-Learning System for Fully-Automated Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) Tip Detection

A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is a thin catheter that is inserted via arm veins and threaded near the heart, providing intravenous access. The final catheter tip position is always confirmed on a chest radiograph (CXR) immediately after insertion since malpositioned PICCs can cause potentially life-threatening complications. Although radiologists interpret PICC tip location with high accuracy, delays in interpretation can be significant. In this study, we proposed a fully-automated, deep-learning system with a cascading segmentation AI system containing two fully convolutional neural networks for detecting a PICC line and its tip location. A preprocessing module performed image quality and dimension normalization, and a post-processing module found the PICC tip accurately by pruning false positives. Our best model, trained on 400 training cases and selectively tuned on 50 validation cases, obtained absolute distances from ground truth with a mean of 3.10 mm, a standard deviation of 2.03 mm, and a root mean squares error (RMSE) of 3.71 mm on 150 held-out test cases. This system could help speed confirmation of PICC position and further be generalized to include other types of vascular access and therapeutic support devices.

[Risk factors associated with complications that required the removal of peripherally inserted central venous catheters in a tertiary pediatric hospital]

BACKGROUND

In pediatrics, complications of the peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICC) are reported in 30% to 40% of cases, with the most frequent risk factors being the age of the patient and the location of PICC. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of PICCs and to identify factors related to their withdrawal due to complications.

METHODS

Prospective cohort study. Patients from 2 months to 18 years of age were included and followed-up until PICC was withdrawn. Age, sex, medications administered, PICC location, caliber, the number of lumens, days PICC was on the patient, and the reason for withdrawal was recorded. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Two hundred and twenty-five patients were included. In 33.02%, PICC were withdrawn due to complications. In the bivariate analysis, age and location were factors associated with complications. A Cox proportional hazards model was performed. It was identified that only the caliber thickness (hazard ratio (HR): 0.5, confidence interval (CI)95%: 0.35-0.99) was associated with any complication, and age (HR: 1.02, CI95%: 1-1.04) only to the withdrawal of PICC due to suspected phlebitis.

CONCLUSIONS

PICC withdrawal due to complications was performed in 33% of the patients. Risk factors related to complications were PICC caliber thickness and age.