Comparison Between Retrograde and Antegrade Peripheral Venous Cannulation in Intensive Care Unit Patients: Assessment of Thrombus Formation.

Background: Antegrade cannulation of peripheral veins is the usual practice. Blood stasis between a catheter and the wall of the vein or at its tip in addition to catheter-induced phlebitis may initiate a thrombosis. The use of retrograde ventriculojugular shunts against the direction of the blood flow with resultant decrease in the incidence of venous thrombosis encouraged us to compare retrograde versus conventional antegrade peripheral venous cannulation.