title: A survey of the use of portable ultrasound for central vein cannulation on critical care units in the UK.
abstract: A questionnaire was sent to 288 critical care units in the UK to assess the use of portable ultrasound machines to assist central vein cannulation. There was a 58% response rate. Ultrasound guidance was used by 36 (21.6%) units for central vein cannulation. Of these, only four (11.1%) used it routinely and 25 (69.4%) used it when faced with a difficult vein cannulation. Half of the units with ultrasound facilities may be using it suboptimally. Of those units not using ultrasound for central vein cannulation, 70 (53%) said it was because of lack of equipment and 51 (38.9%) did not think that it was necessary. Overall, over half of the units did not audit complications of central vein cannulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthetics and Intensive Care and Research and Development Co-ordinator, Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, Bankend Road, Dumfries DG1 4AP, UK. p.jefferson@dgri.scot.nhs.uk
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jefferson
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Ogbue
authors.forename: K E StC
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Ball
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000379:methods*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006113:United Kingdom