The journal of vascular access
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Internal jugular vein cannulation has become a routinary and clinically important aspect of medical care in critically ill patients. The landmark-guided technique usually affords rapid and easy vascular access, but it is not always successful and may be complicated by arterial puncture, hematoma, pneumothorax. A prospective, descriptive study is reported on the use and success of ultrasound-assisted central vein catheterization in dialysis patients who had an indication for internal jugular vein catheterization. ⋯ In all cases, the left internal jugular vein could be cannulated without difficulties. Our results confirm that ultrasound-guided cannulation of the internal jugular vein offers several advantages over the external landmarks technique: higher success rate in both vein puncture and catheter placement, lower complications, lower patient discomfort during the procedure because of a low number of needle passes. Ultrasound-assisted cannulation of the internal jugular vein may become the standard approach to dialysis catheter placement in the future.