Effect of head rotation on overlap and relative position of internal jugular vein to carotid artery in infants and children: a study of the anatomy using ultrasonography.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of head rotation on the relative anatomy of internal jugular vein (IJV) and carotid artery (CA) in infants and children.


METHODS
Two hundred pediatric patients (26.5 +/- 23.3 months old) who were undergoing elective surgery were eligible for this consecutive and prospective study. Using 2-dimensional ultrasound, the amount of overlap and the relative position of the 2 vessels were compared between heads in the neutral position and in 90 degrees of rotation.


RESULTS
The mean percentage overlap of CA by IJV in the neutral position increased significantly as the head was rotated to the right (23.3% vs 39.2%) and left (35.3% vs 52.8%). The incidence of lateral positioning of IJV to CA decreased significantly when the head was rotated (40% vs 21% in right, 26.5% vs 10.5% in left). The right IJV is associated with less overlap of the CA than the left, regardless of head position.


CONCLUSIONS
The head should be kept in as near a neutral position as possible because the overlap increased by head rotation in both sides. In addition, the right IJV should be preferred because of less CA overlap and more lateral positioning than the left.
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 120-752, South Korea.
Jeong-Yeon
JY
Hong
Bon Nyeo
BN
Koo
Won Ok
WO
Kim
Eunkyeong
E
Choi
Hae Keum
HK
Kil
D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011187:Posture; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012399:Rotation; D014463:Ultrasonography