Ultrasound-guided Femoral Arterial Puncture for Interventional Neuro-radiology in Children

The use of ultrasound to guide vascular catheterization in children is strongly recommended for central venous vascular access by several international learned societies. In fact, studies have found a reduction in the time it takes to install the central venous line, in the number of attempts and in complications.The benefit of ultrasound to guide catheterization of the arterial network is less documented. In children, there is an inventory of the traditional approach guided by palpation, in children in intensive care (11). The analysis of 77 femoral puncture attempts in 74 children was carried out. Arterial cannulation was successful in 73 of 77 cases (95%), but only in 60% of cases at the first attempt. Ultrasound guidance appears beneficial in adults for both arterial sites, radial and femoral. On the other hand, in children, unlike radial catheterization, there is no study evaluating the contribution of ultrasound guidance for femoral catheterization.