critical care medicine
How To Do Radial Artery Cannulation, Ultrasound Guided
Positioning for US Guided Radial Artery Cannulation
Position the patient comfortably reclined or supine. Rest the patient's forearm supinated and with the wrist extended on the bed or on a bedside table; support may be useful under the wrist. Stand or sit at the side of the bed so that your nondominant hand is proximal on the arm with the artery to be cannulated; this allows the natural movement of your dominant hand to insert the catheter in a proximal direction. Position the ultrasound console in the vicinity of the ipsilateral shoulder, so that you can see both it and the cannulation site without having to turn your head. 