Ultrasound-Guided Umbilical Catheter Insertion in Neonates
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Journal of Perinatology (2011) 31, 344–349 r 2011 Nature America, Inc. All rights reserved. 0743-8346/11 www.nature.com/jp ORIGINAL ARTICLE Ultrasound-guided umbilical catheter insertion in neonates SE Fleming and JH Kim Division of Neonatology, UCSD Medical Center, San Diego, CA, USA Introduction Objective: Umbilical catheter placement is a routine neonatal emergency Inserting umbilical venous (UVC) and umbilical arterial (UAC) procedure that has large variability in technical methods. Commonly catheters is a routine urgent procedure in sick preterm and term used methods are unable to accurately estimate insertion lengths, and neonates. Two of the most common methods used to guide catheter X-rays cannot always identify malpositioned catheters. In clinical practice, insertion length are the shoulder–umbilicus length graph1 and the placement of umbilical lines takes time away from nursing during a a regression equation based on birth weight (BW).2 In these critical transition period. Ultrasound is a safe and commonly used tool in methods, catheters are inserted and advanced blindly to the the nursery for clinical management of sick neonates and has been shown predetermined length from the umbilicus. Both anterior-posterior to readily identify central catheter tip position. In this study, we sought to and lateral radiographs are taken after placement of the catheters determine a more time-efficient and accurate means of umbilical catheter to check the adequacy of catheter positioning. Many times, the placement using bedside ultrasound. catheters are not placed at the optimal position, thus necessitating Study Design: This is a prospective, randomized, pilot trial of infants them to be repositioned and X-rays repeated. This involves of any age or weight admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit who movement of often critically ill infants, further time away required umbilical catheter placement. Infants were excluded if they had from optimal nursing care and additional radiation exposure. congenital heart disease, abdominal wall defects or had a single umbilical Therefore, some studies strongly suggest that ultrasound with artery. Catheters were placed using either the conventional method, with direct visualization of the inserted catheter should be considered blinded evaluation of the catheters using ultrasound, or with ultrasound the gold standard to confirm correct catheter placement.3–5 guidance, with input pertaining to catheter tip location. The number of Several studies have questioned the current methods used for X-rays required to confirm proper positioning, completion time points estimating umbilical catheter insertion length. Lopriore et al.6 throughout the procedure and manipulations of the lines were recorded questioned 101 pediatric professionals from 6 centers in the for both groups. Netherlands and found that the method used by the participants to Result: Ultrasound use decreased the time of line placement with measure the shoulder–umbilicus length was highly inconsistent, an average saving of 64 min, as well as decreased the number of with only 14% using the described measurement. BW-based manipulations required and X-rays taken to place the catheters. methods that are widely used in the United States do not predict 7 The average X-ray time from request to viewing per X-ray was 40 min catheter placement as accurately in smaller preterm infants. 8 for all subjects. A study by Jeng et al. compared four methods (namely BW, suprasternal notch to pubic symphysis length, total body Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided umbilical catheter placement is a faster length and shoulder–umbilicus length) for UAC insertional method to place catheters requiring fewer manipulations and X-rays length in 120 neonates, and found 90% accuracy in the BW when compared with conventional catheter placement. and total body length groups and 70% accuracy in the suprasternal Journal of Perinatology (2011) 31, 344–349; doi:10.1038/jp.2010.128; notch to pubic symphysis length and shoulder–umbilicus published online 10 February 2011 length groups. Keywords: indwelling catheters; ultrasonography; umbilical cord; The most common method used to confirm the ideal UVC umbilical vessels position is anteroposterior chest radiography, although other tools such as lateral chest radiography,9 venous pressure monitoring,10,11 ultrasound5,12–14 and electrocardiogram guidance15,16 have also been suggested. Some studies have questioned the ability of 3,17 Correspondence: Dr JH Kim, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, 200 West standard radiography to evaluate umbilical catheters accurately. Arbor Drive MPF 1-140, San Diego, CA 92103-8774, USA. They have found very low sensitivity and marginal specificity E-mail: [email protected] Received 8 May 2010; revised 11 August 2010; accepted 16 August 2010; published online 10 to detect misplaced lines. In addition, individual practitioners February 2011 use varying methods to obtain the optimal position, including Ultrasound-guided umbilical catheter insertion in neonates SE Fleming and JH Kim 345 deliberate higher placement with subsequent manipulation to a by scanning the mid-chest in the sagittal plane to locate the proper position.18 catheter tip position, and by scanning for the venous catheter In this study, we set out to find a more efficient and accurate in the sagittal plane on the anterior abdominal wall on the right method for determining optimal umbilical catheter position using mid-abdomen using the liver as an ultrasonic window. The bedside ultrasound. The current method of radiography for catheter injection of a small volume of sterile saline could be used to tip length confirmation is time consuming, exposes the newborn confirm the location of the catheter tip as the turbulence generated infant to radiation and involves physical movement of a sick can be seen with the injection. Care was taken to ensure infant. Bedside ultrasound offers the possibility of direct adequate oxygenation and temperature maintenance for the visualization of the catheter and the vessels both during the neonate during this procedure. insertion period and after final positioning. In the standard arm, the insertion of the catheter(s) proceeded according to standard methods used in our unit for the placement of umbilical catheters. This involved sterilization of the Methods umbilical cord stump, sterile draping of the infant’s abdomen, This was a prospective randomized study of any infant admitted to identification of umbilical vessels, dilation of vessels using metal the level III NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) at a single forceps and gentle insertion of either single or double lumen academic medical center that required UVC and/or UAC placement. catheters. After suturing the catheter(s), the position of the The period of recruitment was between 1 May 2008 and 30 April catheter(s) was evaluated by ultrasound, blinded to the placing 2009. The Institutional Review Board approved this study, and practitioner who would order an X-ray as per routine. This informed consent was obtained from the parents before enrollment. ultrasound exam was recorded for comparison. In the ultrasound- Block randomization was performed by card assignment in blocks guided arm, catheters were placed by the clinical team, with the of six and placed in sealed numbered envelopes. Operators were ultrasound operator by the bedside who evaluated using ultrasound not blinded to the randomization, but in the standard arm, they under sterile field immediately after initial catheter insertion. were blinded to ultrasound information. Depending on the images, catheter manipulations were suggested Enrolled infants were those admitted to the UCSD (University of to the practitioner for suboptimal catheter positioning and viewed California San Diego) Infant Special Care Center and requiring in real time until a suitable position was obtained. Once place- umbilical lines as per current critical care practices. Newborns ment was deemed optimal, the catheter(s) was secured and X-rays with congenital anomalies involving the abdominal wall or intra- were taken. In both groups, catheters unable to be positioned abdominal compartment, single umbilical artery or known congenital correctly were removed. The clinical team made the final decision on heart disease including the right aortic arch were excluded. catheter tip position using the X-ray, regardless of which arm the Umbilical catheters were placed by neonatal fellows, neonatal infant was enrolled in as this was considered the standard of care. nurse practitioners (NNPs) and pediatric house staff. The length of The insertion length was recorded as per current practice by catheter insertion was determined independently by the placing the nursing staff. Both anterior-posterior and lateral radiographs practitioner with the goal of optimal placement at the inferior vena were taken to confirm catheter placement and tip location; the cava–right atrial junction for the UVC and at the T7 to T9 lateral X-ray was included to optimally demonstrate the anatomic segment for the UAC. The decision regarding which of the various paths of both lines. The ultrasound findings were compared with common methods of determining the length should be used radiographs for catheter placement. The patient’s weight was (namely calculation, shoulder–umbilicus, etc.) was left to the recorded at the time of catheter placement. practitioner and the method used recorded. Manipulation was The primary outcome measure was total time of catheter defined