DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE, THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

The George Washington University conducted a time-series analysis of monthly central venous catheter rates among adult emergencydepartment patients between 2006 and 2011. Emergency medicine residents and emergency department technicians were trained in ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous access. The monthly central venous catheter placement rate and the central venous catheter reduction rate associated with ultrasound were compared between non-critically ill patients and patients admitted to critical care. A study of 401,532 patients from 2006 to 2011, of which 0.39% received a central venous catheter, reveals a decrease in the rate of central venous catheters for both critically ill and non-critically ill patients for those employing ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous access procedures. The decrease was more significant in non-critically ill patients, floor patients and discharged patients compared to critically ill patients. This single-site study provides some evidence that an ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous access program may reduce the need for central venous access in ED patients who would otherwise require it. 

(American College of Emergency Physicians, 2012. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23141920) 

PROSPECTIVE COHORT TRIAL OF SONOSTIK GUIDE WIRE INTRODUCER, THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL

GW evaluated performance of the SonoStik device for single-handed use with ultrasound-guided vascular access as compared with conventional intravenous catheters placed under ultrasound guidance in healthy patients. For 24 volunteers, 4 ER technicians with extensive experience with ultrasound-guided intravenous access but with no prior experience with use of the SonoStik device, achieved a 83% first-attempt success rate using SonoStik compared to a 96% success rate with standard procedures. Mean insertion was 1.14 for successful SonoStik placement and no complications, Mean time required to successfully insert the SonoStik device was less than 2.5 minutes from tourniquet application to catheter advancement to hub.

(The Journal of Vascular Access, March 12, 2018 (DOI: 10.1177/1129729818758228)