Ultrasound-guided central venous cannulation in bariatric patients.

Background: Central venous catheterization may be difficult in morbidly obese patients because anatomic landmarks are often obscured.

Methods: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided central venous cannulation in 55 patients undergoing bariatric surgery. The usefulness of ultrasonic examination combined with intraatrial electrocardiogram as a diagnostic tool for catheter misplacement was studied.