The bedside practice of sonographic guided internal jugular vein access in critically ill premature infants

Intrahospital transport, general anesthesia, and the prolonged duration of the central venous catheterization (CVC) in unfavorable conditions pose a significant risk to a critically-ill premature infant. We aimed to demonstrate a minimalized and safe manner of CVC in this patient population.

We worked on a prospective study in 51 critically-ill premature infants in which a 22 Gauge catheter was put in one of the central thoracic veins with the guidance of sonography as a bedside procedure. Of the patients, 27 (53%) were extremely premature, and 21 (41%) were extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW). The mean gestational age was 29±5 weeks, and the mean weight at the time of the procedure was 1655±1028 grams. While no anesthetic and sedative drugs were administered to ELBW infants during procedures, in the remainder of the cohort, procedures were carried out only under sedoanalgesia.

Vascular access was achieved in 48 (94%) of the patients after a mean number of 1.47±0.75 attempts. Body heat loss of the patients at the end of the procedures was not statistically significant (P=0.164). However, ELBW infants lost their body heat significantly more than the rest of the cohort (P=0.032). We experienced clinically insignificant common carotid artery puncture in three patients and hemothorax in one patient.

CVC of critically ill premature infants can be safely and successfully achieved in incubators using sonography guidance, protecting them from hypothermia and anesthetic drugs.