A procedure for placing pediatric femoral venous catheter tips near the right atrium.
OBJECTIVE
To find a body measurement that would serve as an index for determining the length of femoral venous catheter to be inserted to achieve a position near the right atrium.


METHODS
A candidate index measurement was chosen, and radiographic measurements of routine femoral venous catheter placements were compared with the placement that may have resulted from use of the index in a group of patients. In a subsequent group, the candidate index was used to choose catheter insertion length, the accuracy of which was again evaluated from routine placement radiographs.


RESULTS
The first series of radiographic measurements predicted that use of the sternal-umbilical-puncture (SUP) index would result in acceptable and accurate catheter tip placement. This was confirmed in the second group of patients in which 11 of 12 catheter tips were within 1 cm of the target position.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of the SUP index ensures acceptable accuracy in estimating the required insertion length of femoral catheter when tip placement near the right atrium is the clinical goal.
Lynch
Robert E
RE
Department of Pediatrics, St. Louis University Health Science Center, St. Louis, Missouri 63104, USA. Lynch@slu.edu
Lungo
J Bryan
JB
Loftis
Laura L
LL
Ream
Robert S
RS
Gale
Gordon B
GB
D001837:Body Weights and Measures / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000592:standards; D002648:Child; D005268:Femoral Vein; D006325:Heart Atria; D006801:Humans