Greater saphenous vein location in a pediatric population.
The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of a landmark technique for cannulation of the greater saphenous vein (GSV) near the medial malleolus. We performed bedside ultrasound in a convenience sample of 100 children, ages 3 to 16 years, to evaluate the anatomy of the GSV at the ankle. Despite the proposed constancy of the landmark technique regardless of patient age, the GSV location varied significantly with increasing patient age and weight. In children less than 10 years old or weighing less than 40 kg, the traditional landmark rarely predicted the precise location of the GSV.
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University, Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center, Saint Louis, MO, USA. kgermino@slu.edu
Kevin W
KW
Germino
James M
JM
Gerard
Robert G
RG
Flood
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001835:Body Weight; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler