Ultrasound-guided catheterisation of the subclavian vein: freehand vs needle-guided technique.

The objective of this prospective, randomised study was to examine the impact of a multi-angle needle guide for ultrasound-guided, in-plane, central venous catheter placement in the subclavian vein. One hundred and sixty patients were randomly allocated to two groups, freehand or needle-guided, and then 159 catheterisations were analysed. Cannulation of the first examined access site was successful in 96.

["Dual Guidance"? - parallel combination of ultrasound-guidance and nerve stimulation - Contra].

Sonography is a highly user-dependent technology. It presupposes a considerable degree of sonoanatomic and sonographic knowledge and requires good practical skills of the examiner. Sonography allows the identification of the puncture target, observes the needle feed and assesses the spread pattern of the local anesthetic in real time.

Morphological macrovascular alterations in complex regional pain syndrome type I demonstrated by increased intima-media thickness.

Background: Although intima-media thickness (IMT) was increased in several inflammatory diseases, studies investigating whether the inflammatory processes lead to macrovascular alteration with increased IMT in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) lack.

Methods: Using ultrasound (high-resolution B-mode), we compared bilaterally the IMT of the common carotid artery (CCA-IMT), the radial artery (RA-IMT), the brachial artery (BRA-IMT) and the quotient QRA/CCA, in CRPS type I (n=17), peripheral nerve injury (PNI, n=17) and pain-free controls (PFC, n=22, matched to CRPS by gender, age and traditional cardiovascular risk factors).

Statistics: Spearman's correlation, paired t-test, ANOVA (p<0.

[How should anesthesiologists perform ultrasound examinations? Diagnostic use of ultrasound in emergency and intensive care and medicine].

Ultrasound imaging has attained great significance as a tool for diagnostics in emergency and intensive care medicine. The major advantages of this technique are its instantaneous bedside availability and the possibility to perform repeatable examinations. These advantages are based on recent developments, such as portable ultrasound devices offering excellent imaging quality as well as a quick-start-function.

Relationship of the internal jugular vein to the common carotid artery: implications for ultrasound-guided vascular access.

Background And Objective: For cannulation of the internal jugular vein (IJV), ultrasound increases the number of first pass successes and reduces the rate of mechanical complications. A frequent complication of IJV access is the accidental injury of the common carotid artery (CCA), which can be dangerous in some circumstances. Landmarks and palpation of the CCA are used when ultrasound is not available.