Valsalva maneuver prevents guide wire trouble associated with 22-gauge safe guide

The Safe guide is a central venous puncture needle that serves as both a pilot needle and as an introducer. A guide wire can be inserted into a vein through the side port at the hub of the 22-gauge Safe guides needle initially inserted as a pilot needle. However, guide wire insertion may fail due to kinking or locking at the side port. Increasing airway pressure to 20 cm H2O by squeezing a respiratory bag during insertion of the guide wire together with venous puncture was attempted to determine if would decrease guide wire trouble.

A total of 120 patients scheduled for central venous catheterization by right internal jugular puncture were divided into two groups. Patients in group-A (n = 60) were catheterized by the conventional method and those in group-B (n = 60) were catheterized by applying the Valsalva maneuver. Three observations were made: 1) Frequency of cases in which blood back-flow occurred during withdrawal only and not upon advancement of the puncture needle. 2) Frequency of cases in which kinking and/or locking of the guide wire occurred at the hub during its insertion. And 3) the occurrence of complications.

1) The patency of the vein was preserved and blood back-flow was obtained during advancement of the puncture needle in all cases in which the Valsalva maneuver was applied. 2) The incidence of kinking and/or locking during insertion of the guide wire decreased from 16.7% to 3.4% by applying positive airway pressure during the Valsalva maneuver. And 3) complications were negligible. Additionally, the application of the Valsalva maneuver allowed successful guide wire insertion in 6 out of 9 cases (67%) in group-A, in which the initial attempt using the conventional method had failed.

The application of positive airway pressure using the Valsalva maneuver may prevent the guide wire trouble associated with the 22-gauge Safe guide.