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How to Administer Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Critically ill Neonates, Infants, and Children
Published on: August 19, 2020
Evaluating NIR vascular imaging to support intravenous cannulation in awake children difficult to cannulate; a
Jurgen C de Graaff1, Natascha J Cuper, Atty T H van Dijk
1Department of Pediatric Anesthesia, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Background:
Recently, various near-infrared vascular imaging devices aimed at facilitating peripheral intravenous cannulation (PIC) were introduced, all claiming to increase success rate of PIC. We evaluated the clinical utility of a near-infrared vascular imaging device (VascuLuminator(®)) in pediatric patients who were referred to the anesthesiologist because of difficult cannulation.
Methods:
There were 226 consecutive children referred to pediatric anesthesiologists by the treating pediatrician of the in- and outpatient clinic, because of difficulties with intravenous cannulation, were included in this cluster randomized clinical trial. The presence and use of the near-infrared vascular imaging device for PIC was randomized in clusters of 1 week. Success at first attempt (Fisher exact test) and time to successful cannulation (Log-rank test) were assessed to evaluate differences between groups.
Results:
Success at first attempt in the group with the VascuLuminator(®) (59%) was not significantly different from the control group (54%, P = 0.41), neither was the median time to successful cannulation: 246 s and 300 s, respectively (P = 0.54).
Conclusions:
Visualization of blood vessels with near-infrared light and with near-infrared vascular imaging device did not improve success of PIC in pediatric patients who are known difficult to cannulate.
