Radiology
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Fifty Groshong catheters were placed in 50 patients with use of ultrasound (US) and fluoroscopic guidance in the radiology suite: 49 were placed via the subclavian vein and one was placed via the left internal jugular vein. All (100%) attempts at catheter placement were successful. Imaging guidance affected the placement of catheters in 12 cases (24%), including four patients (8%) in whom vascular access would not have been possible with blinded percutaneous venipuncture or surgical cutdown. ⋯ One catheter was removed because of infection (2%) and one because of allergic reaction (2%) to the antimicrobial cuff. Four patients with cutaneous infections and one with catheter-related sepsis were successfully treated with antibiotics. Results demonstrate the initial promise of imaging-guided placement of central venous access catheters when performed in the radiology suite.