Review

The use of Ultrasonography-guided peripheral intravenous access in Emergency Department Patients with Difficult Venous Access

10.4170/JAEM.2009.86580

  • Mahmure Aygün
  • Hacer Erten Yaman
  • Ayfer Bayındır

Received Date: 18.09.2009 Accepted Date: 02.10.2009 Eurasian J Emerg Med 2010;9(1):9-16

Intravenous therapy is a fundamental cornerstone of modern healt care. Health care professionals place many peripheral intravenous lines in the emergency departments.

Obtaining peripheral intravenous access for various therapies in emergency depertment patients is usually diffucult. Patients in whom peripheral venous access cannot be obtained with traditional techniques, use of bedside ultrasound can aid in peripheral vein access and facilitate successful cannulation. The ultrasonography which is called “the Millenium stethoscope” is being used as a new technology in both ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous access and peripherally inserted centeral catherization, especially in patients with difficult intravenous access. This is particularly useful in patients that may have short emergency department visits. Veins can be visualized and successfully cannulated with the use of ultrasound. Ultrasound-guided vein cannulation is safe, rapid and a high success rate in ED patients with diffucult peripheral intravenous. Researches has shown that the use of ultrasonography(USG) could contribute for more effective intravenous puncturing. This technique can be used by trained physicians, nurses and paramedics in the emergency department.

Keywords: Emergency Department, diffucult venous accesess, Ultrasoundguided vein cannulation