JPS Article You should Know: Ultrasound Guided Percutaneous Broviac Placement

Hey there, it's Brittany Levy with Stay Current, and I'm back with another journal article from the Journal of Pediatric Surgery that you should know. OK, so what are we talking about today? The Broviac, which is a single lumen, cuffed and tunneled central venous catheter that's often used in infants and neonates. Now we're gonna talk about ultrasound guided percutaneous insertion in small infants, as discussed by Readyet All in November 2022's issue. Of the Journal of Pediatric Surgery. So as a review, there are 3 techniques to place a broviac line. One is open surgical cut-down, the second is percutaneous based on landmarks, and the third is percutaneous with ultrasound guidance. Now each of these options have their pros and cons, but the ultrasound guided technique has gained popularity, and it's now the technique of choice in the UK. However, it can be technically difficult. In small babies, and so the open cut-down technique is still used in little ones. All right, so let's get into it. In this study, the authors explored the outcomes for 100 consecutive babies less than 5 kg who underwent Broviac line placement using ultrasound guidance. In 94 cases, catheter insertion was uncomplicated, and in all 100 cases, the catheter was successfully placed at the time of procedure. There were no complications in any patient. Such as displacement, pneumothorax, hemothorax, or cardiac complications, up to 28 days post placement. So what's the point? Percutaneous roviac placement with ultrasound guidance is safe and possible in small infants less than 5 kg, and they might not require an open cutdown technique. What are you doing at your center for small neonates? Leave it in the comments below and check out the Stay Current app for more articles that you should know.