title: [The intern's vein--the patient's nightmare?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Punction of blood vessels is a necessity in modern medicine, but there is a paucity of knowledge about the close relation between vessels and nerves.
  
  
  METHODS
  We refer to two cases that show possible consequences of cannulation of v. cephalica and a. radialis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both patients developed clinical symptoms and neurological findings indicating injury of the radial nerve. One of the patients is not likely to develop chronic neuropathic pain, but in the other patient the similar injury of the radial nerve has lead to chronic and disabling pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We advise against using the distal part of v. cephalica (the intern's vein) as the first choice for training of inexperienced students. The vein should only be used in patients that lack other venous alternatives and in acute situations where quick infusions or blood transfusions are needed.
authors.affiliation: Anestesi- og intensivklinikken, Oslo universitetssykehus, Rikshospitalet, Postboks 4950 Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway. gunnvald.kvarstein@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Gunnvald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kvarstein
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jørum
mesh_terms: D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000209:etiology; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000209:etiology; D017534:Radial Artery; D011826:Radial Nerve / Q000293:injuries*; D012307:Risk Factors