Facilitation of peripheral intravenous access: an evaluation of two methods to augment venous filling.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate two methods of augmenting venous filling as potential aids to i.v. cannulation.


METHODS
Comparative study of cross-sectional areas of preselected antecubital fossa veins.


METHODS
Vascular laboratory of a British university teaching hospital.


METHODS
Thirty healthy, normotensive, adult volunteers.


METHODS
Vessel cross-sectional areas measured noninvasively using a color flow duplex ultrasound scanner. Measurements were taken at rest, after application of a venous tourniquet, with tourniquet and Esmarch bandage, and with tourniquet and Rhys-Davies exsanguinator.


RESULTS
Mean (+/- SD) cross-sectional area at rest was 0.18 +/- 0.094 cm2 and after tourniquet was 0.28 +/- 0.14 cm2. Application of an Esmarch bandage produced an increase to 0.33 +/- 0.14 cm2, and Rhys-Davies exsanguinator produced an increase to 0.32 +/- 0.15 cm2 (P < .0001 for all comparisons except Rhys-Davies exsanguinator versus Esmarch bandage).


CONCLUSIONS
Application of either the Esmarch bandage or the Rhys-Davies exsanguinator caused significant filling of antecubital fossa veins in excess of that produced by a venous tourniquet alone in normovolemic, normotensive volunteers.
Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital of South Manchester, England.
P A
PA
Nee
A J
AJ
Picton
D R
DR
Ralston
A G
AG
Perks
D000328:Adult; D001458:Bandages; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000379:methods*; D004550:Elbow / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D008875:Middle Aged; D014111:Tourniquets; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014680:Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology