Comparative analysis of formulae for umbilical venous catheterization depth based on birth weight

Area of Science:

• Neonatal medicine
• Medical procedures
• Clinical accuracy

Background:

• Umbilical venous catheterization (UVC) is crucial for critically ill newborns.
• Accurate UVC insertion depth is vital for patient safety and efficacy.
• Current methods rely on formulae to estimate insertion depth prior to the procedure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the accuracy of five established formulae for predicting UVC insertion depth.
• To determine the most reliable formula based on neonatal birth weight (BW).

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 1298 UVC procedures was conducted.
• Predicted insertion depths from five formulae were compared against actual recorded depths.
• Accuracy was defined as predicted depth within ±10% of actual depth.

Main Results:

• The Tambasco formula (67.2%) and Shukla formula (65.0%) demonstrated the highest accuracy rates.
• The JSS formula (64.4%) also showed considerable accuracy.
• The Tambasco formula was superior for newborns with BW ≥ 1000g, while the JSS formula was best for BW < 1000g.

Conclusions:

• The Tambasco formula is recommended for newborns ≥ 1000g, and the JSS formula for newborns < 1000g.
• Accurate UVC depth estimation remains a challenge, with no single universal formula.
• These findings can guide clinical practice for safer UVC placement.