title: The carina as a landmark in central venous catheter placement.
abstract: Location of the tip of a central venous catheter (CVC) within the pericardium has been associated with potentially lethal cardiac tamponade. Because the pericardium cannot be seen on chest x-ray (CXR), an alternative radiographic marker is needed for correct placement of CVCs. The anatomy of the region was studied in 34 cadavers. The carina was a mean (SEM) distance of 0.4 (0.1) cm above the pericardial sac as it transverses the superior vena cava (SVC). In no case was the carina located below the pericardial sac. The carina is a reliable, simple anatomical landmark for the correct placement of CVCs. In almost all cases, the carina is radiologically visible even in poor quality, portable CXRs. CVC tips should be located in the SVC above the level of the carina in order to avoid cardiac tamponade.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Medical School Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nave
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piepenbrock
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pabst
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Panning
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000517:prevention & control; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D014132:Trachea / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000033:anatomy & histology