Survey of Central Venous Catheter Depth Using the Carina as a Radiologic Landmark in ICU Patients

Abstract

Background: There is no unique guideline as to how to determine the depth of a central venous catheter (CVC). In this study, we inspected the current practice of CVC placement and evaluated insertion depth using the carina as a radiologic landmark in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods: In 138 ICU patients with a CVC in the right subclavian (SCV group) or internal jugular vein (IJV group), a chest X ray was taken, and the radiographic vertical distance between the catheter tip and the carina level (D-CC) was measured in Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) view. The distance between the skin puncture site and the carina level (D-SC) was calculated by adding/subtracting D-CC to/from the actual CVC insertion length. In addition, we surveyed physicians using a questionnaire about the methods they used to determine CVC depth. Results: Mean D-SC was 13.80 ± 1.69 cm in the SCV group, 14.42 ± 1.34 cm in the IJV group, but no correlation was found with any measured physical dimension. In males, D-SC was greater, but this difference was not statistically significant. Physicians determined required insertion depths using many different methods (e.g., height, sex......). Conclusions: Patient height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and sex were not found to be reliable for predicting a safe CVC length. We recommend that after CVC insertion, a chest X ray should be taken and the catheter tip repositioned if necessary to reduce catheter related fatal complications (e.g., cardiac tamponade). (Korean J Anesthesiol 2005; 49: 376~80) 󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏