Check Both Sides to Find the Bigger Vein Before Central Line Insertion

Both use of ultrasound and larger vein size are associated with increased success and fewer complications when placing central lines. Researchers at a tertiary hospital in Australia prospectively studied 50 adults receiving subclavian vein central lines prior to surgery. Clinicians used bedside ultrasound to measure the largest dimensions of each patient's infraclavicular axillary veins.

When the two sides were compared, the largest cross-sectional areas measured were significantly different between the right and left in individual patients (mean difference, 59.7%; absolute difference, 26.7 mm²). There was no correlation between right-hand dominance (few patients were left-handed) or any anthropomorphic parameter (height, weight, body-mass i…