The "medial-oblique" approach to ultrasound-guided central venous cannulation--maximize the view, minimize the risk

Carotid puncture and insertion of a large-bore catheter into the carotid artery is a feared complication associated with internal jugular vein (IJV) cannulation. The use of ultrasound with real-time imaging of the neck vessels during needle insertion has the potential to decrease the incidence of serious complications associated with central venous access. The authors describe a new technique for ultrasound-guided IJV cannulation. The suggested "medial-oblique" approach allows for optimal imaging of the IJV and the carotid artery side by side and following the needle throughout the insertion from skin to vessel penetration in a medial-cephalad to lateral-caudad direction. This technique combines the advantages of the short-axis and long-axis approaches and minimizes the risk of carotid puncture from a medial-to-lateral needle direction.