critical care medicine
How To Do Radial Artery Cannulation
Step by Step Description of Radial Artery Cannulation
Palpate the radial artery in detailwith the tip of the index finger of your nondominant hand. Systematically palpate, release, and shift slightly over the artery, to precisely discern the center axis of the artery (the area of the strongest pulse). Some clinicians do theAllen testto determine whether there is sufficient collateral flow through the ulnar artery to perfuse the hand if the catheter occludes the radial artery. While the patient makes a tight fist, digitally compress both the ulnar and radial arteries. While continuing arterial compression, have the patient open the fist and spread the fingers, which should display a blanched palm and fingers. Then, release ulnar artery compression while maintaining radial artery compression. If the hand and fingers on theradialside reperfuse within 5 to 10 seconds, collateral circulation is considered adequate. Alternatively, just ascertain the presence of ulnar artery flow by palpation or Doppler evaluation. Supinate the forearm and tape both the hand and the mid-forearm to a dorsally placed arm board, with a gauze roll placed under the wrist to maintain moderate wrist extension. Assemble the arterial pressure–monitoring equipment: Place the IV saline bag within the pressure bag (unpressurized), connect the arterial pressure tubing to the saline bag, and squeeze residual air from the bag into the line. Hang the bag, pinch the drip chamber to fill it halfway with fluid, and run solution through the tubing to flush the air out. Connect (plug in) the pressure transducer to the pressure monitor. Situate the transducer at the level of the heart (ie, lateral to the intersection of the mid-axillary line and 4th intercostal space). Open the transducer to air, set the transducer signal to zero on the monitor, and then close the transducer to air. Ensure all air is flushed from the tubing. Remove all vent caps and replace with sealed caps at all the ports. Then pressurize the bag to 300 mm Hg. Throughout the process, maintain sterility of all connecting points of the tubing. Place sterile equipment on sterilely covered equipment trays. Dress in sterile garb and use barrier protection. Test the cannulation equipment: Rotate the catheter about the needle and slide the guidewire into and out of the needle to verify smooth motion. Push and pull syringe plungers to establish free motion and expel air from the syringes. Draw the local anesthetic into a 3-mL syringe with a 25-gauge needle attached. Swab the ventral wrist area broadly with antiseptic solution (eg,chlorhexidine/alcohol). Allow the antiseptic solution to dry for at least 1 minute. Place sterile towels and drapes about the site. Inject 1 to 2 mL of anesthetic into the skin and subcutaneously along the anticipated needle-insertion path. Do not make a skin bleb so big that it obscures palpation of the radial artery. Maintain gentle negative pressure on the syringe plunger as you advance the needle, to identify intravascular placement and prevent an intravascular injection. Relocate the radial artery in the wrist as described previously, using your nondominant hand, and continue palpation to guide needle insertion into the artery. Using your dominant hand, hold the cannulation device between your thumb and forefinger. Orient the needle bevel facing up. Insert the cannulation device with the needle bevel facing up directly over the midline of the radial pulse at least 1 cm proximal to the radial head and advance it proximally (cephalad) at about a 30- to 45-degree angle into the skin, to intersect the artery. Steadily advance the cannulation device until a flash of bright red blood appears in the reservoir or barrel of the device, which indicates that the needle tip has entered the arterial lumen. Hold the device motionless in this spot. If no blood flash appears after inserting a catheter-over-wire device 1 to 2 cm, slowly and gradually withdraw the device. If it had initially passed completely through the artery, a blood flash may now appear as the needle tip is withdrawn, passing back into the lumen. If a flash still does not appear, withdraw the device almost to the skin surface, change direction, and try again to advance it into the artery. If no blood flash appears after inserting an angiocatheter 1 to 2 cm, hold the catheter steady and slowly withdraw the needle from it. A blood flash may appear if the needle tip alone had pierced the deep arterial wall. If a flash does not appear, keep withdrawing the needle until it is removed, and then slowly withdraw the catheter. If a flash appears, stop withdrawing and try to advance the catheter into the artery (some operators insert a guidewire before readvancing the catheter, to facilitate the catheter's passage into the arterial lumen). If rapid local swelling occurs, blood is extravasating. Terminate the procedure: Remove the needle and use gauze pads to hold external pressure on the area for 10 minutes or more, to help limit bleeding and hematoma. Place a gauze square under the cannulation device at the insertion site. Observe the reservoir or barrel of the device to verify pulsatile blood flow. If needed, slightly advance or withdraw the device until the pulsatile flow is evident, which confirms intra-arterial placement. Continuously hold the cannulation device motionless at this spot. Catheter-over-wire technique Thread the guidewire through the needle and into the artery. Do not force the wire; it should slide smoothly. If the guidewire meets resistance, it may have passed into or through the arterial wall. Remove the catheter-over-wire device as a unit, use gauze pads for 10 minutes to apply pressure to the area (to help prevent bleeding and hematoma), and start over at a new insertion site with a new catheter-over-wire device. Securely hold the needle hub and slide the catheter, using a twisting motion, over the needle and guidewire and into the artery. Angiocatheter The insertion method is essentially the same as starting an IV in a peripheral vein. Further decrease the angle of insertion and advance the angiocatheter an additional 2 mm to ensure that the catheter tip has entered the lumen. This step is done because the needle tip slightly precedes the catheter tip. Securely hold the needle hub and slide the catheter over the needle and into the artery; it should slide smoothly. If the catheter meets resistance, slowly withdraw the needle followed by the catheter, stopping immediately and trying to re-advance the catheter if blood flow resumes. If the catheter cannot be inserted, withdraw it and start over. Never withdraw the catheter back over the needle or reinsert the needle back into the catheter (doing so may shear off the end of the catheter within the patient). Likewise, never withdraw the guidewire through the needle. Use gauze pads for 10 minutes to apply external pressure to the area. Sometimes the catheter cannot be advanced although it is in the lumen; try to advance the catheter while flushing it with fluid from a syringe. Attach the pressure tubing (which has been pre-flushed with saline) to the catheter hub and verify an arterial pressure waveform on the monitor screen. Use gauze to wipe all blood and fluid from the site, being careful not to disturb the catheter. Suture the catheter in place at the insertion site. To avoid skin necrosis, tie air loops in the skin and then tie the suture tails to the catheter hub. Apply a transparent occlusive dressing.Chlorhexidine-impregnated discs at the insertion point are commonly placed before the dressing. Loop the arterial tubing and tape it to the skin away from the insertion site, to help prevent accidental traction on the tubing from dislodging the catheter. Write the date and time of cannulation on the dressing. 