title: The technique of dorsalis pedis cannulation. An overlooked option when the radial artery cannot be used.
abstract: When arterial cannulation is required, but the radial artery cannot be used, five alternatives can be considered: the ulnar, brachial, axillary, femoral, and dorsalis pedis arteries. Of these, the dorsalis pedis may be the next best choice: Collateral flow is excellent, and cannulation here is easy to perform, presents minimal patient inconvenience, and has a very low incidence of complications. Systolic pressure readings obtained at the dorsalis pedis artery are 5 to 20 mm Hg higher than measurements obtained at the radial artery; however, by comparing the dorsalis pedis reading with a cuff pressure, you can quickly determine the extent of overshoot and correct the invasive measurement.
authors.affiliation: Medical Intensive Care Unit, Cook County Hospital, Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Franklin
mesh_terms: D001158:Arteries; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000379:methods*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D003097:Collateral Circulation; D005528:Foot / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans