Ultrasound-Guided Central Venous Access With Different Anesthesia Methods in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Medicine
• Pediatric Anesthesiology
• Medical Ultrasound

Background:

• Internal jugular vein (IJV) catheterization in neonates typically requires general anesthesia and an operating room setting.
• Ultrasound (US) guidance has improved the safety and efficacy of vascular access procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and safety of US-guided IJV catheterization in newborns using local anesthesia and sedation.
• To compare procedural outcomes between newborns receiving general anesthesia versus sedation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 53 newborn patients undergoing US-guided IJV catheterization from May 2017 to May 2020.
• Patients were divided into two groups: general anesthesia (Group A) and sedation (Group B).
• Comparison of success rates, number of punctures, and complication rates between the two groups.

Main Results:

• Sixty-two procedures were analyzed: 30 in Group A and 32 in Group B.
• First-attempt success rates were 86.6% in Group A and 59.3% in Group B.
• Overall success rates were 100% in Group A and 96.8% in Group B, with no significant difference in complications.

Conclusions:

• US-guided IJV catheterization can be safely and effectively performed in newborns using sedation alone.
• Sedation offers a viable alternative to general anesthesia for this procedure, with comparable safety and success rates.