Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
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Ann R Coll Surg Engl · May 1988
Comparative StudySubclavian vein catheterisation for parenteral nutrition.
Two hundred and twenty-six central venous catheters were placed in 195 consecutive patients requiring central venous catheterisation for total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Of these 226 catheters, 198 were placed percutaneously into the subclavian vein by the infraclavicular route. In 99 consecutive subclavian catheter insertions, a 12G needle with introducing sheath was used to puncture the vein (Group 1). ⋯ Pneumothorax occurred on three occasions (3.0%) in Group 1 but did not occur in Group 2. However, there were two episodes of pleural extravasation in Group 2 (2.0%) which may have been due to guide wire perforation of a central vein; this complication did not occur in Group 1. Although the Seldinger technique of insertion should reduce the incidence of pneumothorax, care should be taken in passage of the guide wire.
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Postoperative morbidity in fifty day care patients undergoing spinal anaesthesia was evaluated by means of a postoperative questionnaire. Despite the use of a 26G spinal needle in all patients, there was an overall incidence of spinal headache of 18%, which rose to 39% when considering patients under 40 years of age. ⋯ Patients receiving spinal anaesthesia were compared with a smaller group of patients receiving general anaesthesia for similar procedures, and this group showed no evidence of post-operative morbidity after 48 h. In agreement with a previous study, it is concluded that spinal anaesthesia is not a suitable technique for the young day care patient.