title: Ultrasonographic evaluation of the femoral vein in anaesthetised infants and young children.
abstract: We investigated the cross-sectional area of the femoral vein and its relationship to the femoral artery at two anatomical levels, in infants and children. Sixty-six subjects were allocated to one of two groups: infants (< 1 year, n = 31) or children (1-6 years, n = 35). After induction of general anaesthesia, the femoral vein was evaluated by ultrasound with the patients' legs at 30° and 60° of abduction and their hips externally rotated. In each position, measurements were taken at the level of the inguinal crease and 1 cm below the crease. Hip rotation with 60° leg abduction decreased femoral artery overlap at the level of the inguinal crease in both infants (p = 0.013) and children (p = 0.003). Thus, the optimal place for femoral vein cannulation in paediatric patients seems to be at the level of the inguinal crease with 60° leg abduction and external hip rotation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Asan Medical Centre, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Suk
authors.forename: K-Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Kweon
authors.forename: Y-H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bai
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011187:Posture; D012399:Rotation; D014463:Ultrasonography