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Updated: Aug 20, 2026

The Supraclavicular Fossa Ultrasound View for Central Venous Catheter Placement and Catheter Change Over Guidewire
Published on: December 23, 2014
Comparison of central venous catheterization with and without ultrasound guide
Massimo Cajozzo1, Gerlando Quintini, Gerlando Cocchiera
1Division of General and Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery and Oncology, University of Palermo, via Del Vespro 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy. msc1@virgilio.it
Purpose:
To compare the effectiveness, safety and time needed to perform central venous catheterization (CVC) in the presence or absence of an ultrasound (US) guide.
Methods:
Between January 1999 and February 2002 we performed CVCs in 196 patients: 105 patients received US guided CVC (group I) and 91 patients had CVC without US guide (group II).
Results:
The average time to perform CVC was shorter with US guide (4 vs 7 min). The utilization of the US guide was also associated with improved success (98.09% vs 91.2%, p<0.025) and lack of major complications (0% vs 9.8%, p<0.001).
Conclusions:
US-guided CVC affords an easier, safer and more rapid cannulation of a central vein. It is especially helpful in those patients with anatomical variation or difficult veins (small or not visible, non-palpable landmarks) and in those with coagulative disorders.
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