Insertion Technique

Case: Supraclavicular Approach to Subclavian Vein Cannulation

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3D animation demonstrating the Ultrasound Guided Insertion of a Subclavian Vein Catheter.

Applications

Cardiology

Clinical Specialties

Anesthesiology (Regional)

Media Library Type

Case Study Videos

Subtitles

- [Voiceover] This is Dr. Phil Perera
and welcome to SoundBytes.
In this module we're gonna go over how to use ultrasound
to guide us for the supraclavicular subclavian
vein cannulation.
The supraclavicular approach to the subclavian vein
is a great alternative to the traditional infraclavicular
approach that's been emphasized over the years
in medical and surgical training.
For this approach, the catheter is placed into the
subclavian vein above the clavicle either very close to,
or at the junction with the internal jugular vein
at the confluence of the brachiocephalic vein.
Advantages of this approach include a relatively short
distance to the vein and less wire kinking than with
the infraclavicular approach.
A nice article that goes over this approach was in
the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine in 2009 by
the authors listed below in the reference.
Let's take a moment to review the upper extremity
venous anatomy that we'll need to know to perform
supraclavicular subclavian cannulation.
The first landmark is the clavicle, and remember,
as the subclavian vein passes lateral to the clavicle
it becomes the axillary vein.
We can see the subclavian artery and vein running
above and below the clavicle.
We can also see the internal jugular vein
and carotid artery going up and down the neck.
We can see the confluence of the internal jugular vein
and the subclavian vein to form the brachiocephalic veins.
In effect, we're aiming at the confluence here,
the brachiocephalic vein for placement of the catheter.
And we can see that the brachiocephalic veins join
to become the superior vena cava
going into the right atrium.
And that's where we want to place the tip of the catheter.
Now let's take a look at the essential anatomy
from a lateral approach.
We again note the clavicle here forming the boundary
between the subclavian artery and vein
and the axillary artery and vein.
We see the subclavian artery and vein arching
above and below the clavicle.
And we see the internal jugular vein and carotid artery
going up and down the neck.
Notice again the confluence of the subclavian vein
and the internal jugular vein at the brachiocephalic vein.
And again, that's where we'll be aiming with our needle.
Notice the brachiocephalic vein joining in the
superior vena cava and down into the heart.
Now let's take a moment to talk about ultrasound guidance
for this approach to the subclavian vein.
Traditionally it's been thought to be difficult to image
this portion of the subclavian vein as it arches
above the clavicle.
However, the supraclavicular portion of the subclavian
vein can be well visualized by placing the ultrasound probe
in a medial position just above the clavicle and angling
it down into the chest.
To visual the subclavian vein just anterior
to the subclavian artery.
In this illustration, we see the probe placed above
the subclavian vein able to image it
in a long axis orientation.
For this application we'll want to use the high frequency
10 megahertz linear array type probe.
And notice that we have the probe angled anterior
to pick up the vein which will be located anterior
to the subclavian artery.
Thus, cannulation of the vessel will be performed
in a long axis approach using ultrasound guidance.
An alternative approach to find the subclavian vein
and the brachiocephalic vein is to follow the internal
jugular vein inferiorly down the neck.
We then will visualize the subclavian vein as it joins
with the internal jugular vein at the confluence
of the brachiocephalic vein.
And we can use color Doppler flow imaging as shown
in the video box to the upper right to differentiate
vein from artery.
Notice the characteristic pulsations of the artery
versus the constant phasic respiratory hum of the vein.
To use ultrasound guidance for the supraclavicular approach
we'll want to place the probe in a long axis orientation
in the supraclavicular fossa.
As noted here in the picture to the upper right,
we can see the probe placed over the top of the clavicle.
There's not a lot of space in the supraclavicular fossa
and that's why it's easier to place the probe in a
long axis orientation rather than a short axis approach.
We'll be using the high frequency linear array type probe
for this application and because we want to use dynamic
or real time guidance, we're going to use a sterile sheath
over the probe.
Now let's go over how to use ultrasound to visualize
the subclavian vein.
We'll begin by running the probe down the neck
to identify the internal jugular vein lateral
to the carotid artery.
We can push down with the probe to differentiate
vein from artery as the vein should completely compress
as long as there's no thrombosis present.
We can also use Doppler flow to differentiate
the two vessels.
After we identify the internal jugular vein within the neck
we'll run the probe even further inferiorly down the neck
and angle it down into the chest.
Now, note here that we're seeing the subclavian artery
and the carotid artery and the confluence
of the two vessels.
And remember that the subclavian artery is going to be
located posterior to the subclavian vein.
Next we're gonna orient the probe even more anteriorly
watching internal jugular vein go down into the chest
and join with the subclavian vein at the confluence
of the brachiocephalic vein.
And we remember that the subclavian vein will be located
more anteriorly than the subclavian artery.
Now let's take a look at some ultrasound images showing
the internal jugular vein running down the neck and joining
with the subclavian vein at the brachiocephalic confluence.
And we can see the subclavian vein arching from the lateral
aspect to the left of the image, here,
and joining with the brachiocephalic vein medially.
Again, we'll be aiming the needle for the confluence
of the subclavian vein down with the brachiocephalic vein.
Now we can that the structure is relatively superficial,
we can see the depth markers over to the right,
and we note that the subclavian vein is only at about
one centimeter depth.
In this ultrasound image we first locate the internal
jugular vein and then we orient the probe a little bit
more anteriorly to pick up that subclavian vein
and the confluence of the brachiocephalic vein.
So all we're doing is a slight tilt anteriorly
with the probe to visualize the subclavian vein
running into the brachiocephalic vein.
And again, we can see the depth markers over to the right
there, and we notice that the subclavian vein is located
at about one to two centimeters.
So again, it's a relatively superficial structure.
In this ultrasound image we see the subclavian vein
coming from lateral to the left of the screen
and joining with the brachiocephalic vein medially.
We can see a valve at the confluence
between the two structures.
Our needle would come in from the lateral aspect
and be aimed medially towards that confluence
and we can see that it would have to come down about
two centimeters to successfully cannulate the vessel.
In this illustration we'll go over the surface anatomy
for the supraclavicular subclavian vein cannulation.
The needle should be aimed towards the subclavian vein
at the confluence of the internal jugular vein
into the brachiocephalic vein.
Generally we're gonna place the needle up the back
of the clavicular head of the sternocleidomastoid.
The needle should be aimed towards the sternal notch.
And again, it's a relatively superficial stick.
This video reviews the middle triangle of the neck
as framed by the divisions of the
sternocleidomastoid muscle.
Remember that the sternal head will run medial
and the clavicular head will run lateral.
The clavicle will form the inferior boundary of the middle
triangle of the neck.
And we can see the index finger placed
within the middle triangle.
Within this triangle will run the internal jugular vein
and the carotid artery.
And that's where we want to be first locating with the probe
the internal jugular vein as it runs down the neck.
Here are the traditional surface landmarks for cannulation
of the supraclavicular subclavian vein.
We want to identify the clavicular head of the
sternocleidomastoid laterally and that's generally
where we'll be placing our needle.
The needle will be aimed towards the sternal notch medially.
And we can see that the needle will be coming over the top
of the clavicle aimed into the subclavian vein.
And this video clip will simulate the correct placement
of the needle for cannulation of the subclavian vein
above the clavicle.
Here I'm just illustrating where the subclavian vein
should be running from lateral to medial.
And note here, we'll place the needle just lateral
to the clavicular head of the sternocleidomastoid
with an orientation towards the sternal notch
of the sternum.
Next we'll add ultrasound into the mix
and here we're placing the high frequency linear array probe
into the supraclavicular fossa,
just above the subclavian vein.
So we'd be placing the needle on the lateral aspect
of the probe so that we can watch the needle
come down into the vessel.
And again, I'm just emphasizing the standard trajectory
of the needle from that lateral aspect of the clavicular
head of the sternocleidomastoid towards the sternal notch.
Here we get a different perspective for the placement
of the probe in the long axis configuration in the
supraclavicular fossa.
And we see here that that needle should be oriented off
the back of the probe or lateral to the probe.
We'll be placing the needle directly underneath the probe
so we can watch it all times as it goes down to the vessel
to correctly cannulate the subclavian vein.
And the needle should be aimed towards that sternal notch.
Here we're going to successfully cannulate the
subclavian vein using the long axis approach
under ultrasound guidance.
And we can see the needle coming in from lateral to medial
successfully cannulating the subclavian vein.
Notice that the needle has a bright or echogenic
appearance on ultrasound.
Here we'll stop the video clip and we can see the tip
of the needle centered within the subclavian vein.
We'll note the depth markers over to the right
of the ultrasound image, here, and we can see that
the subclavian vein is at about one to two centimeters.
And we need to keep this in mind as the dome of the lung
is relatively close to the subclavian and we want
to keep that tip of the needle relatively superficial.
Once we've had a successful cannulation of the vessel
we can actually guide the guide-wire
using ultrasound guidance.
This is helpful as we want to make sure that the guide-wire
passes without obstruction down into the vessel lumen.
In this video clip we can actually see the guide-wire
advance through the catheter into the subclavian vein
laterally and being pushed down the subclavian vein
into the confluence with the brachiocephalic vein medial
and to the right.
Next we can watch as the guide-wires further advance
down the brachiocephalic vein into the superior vena cava.
And here we can see the echogenic guide-wire coming
from left down the subclavian into the brachiocephalic
and into the superior vena cava.
And remember that we want to position the tip of the
guide-wire and then the resulting catheter within
the superior vena cava so that it doesn't enter into
the right atrium.
To summarize some of the important parts of this module
I want to emphasize that the supraclavicular approach
to subclavian vein is a great alternative to the
traditional infracavicular approach and one in which
ultrasound guidance can be used dynamically or real time
to guide the needle down into the vein,
hopefully to decrease the risk of complications
to our patient during the procedure.
As we discussed, the subclavian vein cannulation
is performed with the ultrasound probe held in the
long axis orientation in the supraclavicular fossa
so that the needle will enter off the back of the probe
laterally and be advanced in a long axis view down
into the vein.
Let's finish here with a discussion of some of the
potential complications of this approach,
the first of which is inadvertent pneumothorax.
Now the subclavian vein is relatively close to the lung,
the dome of the lung, and for that reason,
we'll traditionally go on the right side where the
right side of the lung is a little lower at the dome
than on the left side.
We could actually visualize the dome of the lung
on ultrasound as seen in the video box to the upper right.
We can see the pleural surfaces moving back and forth
as the patient breathes and this is called lung sliding.
So we can visualize the lung and avoid it.
We want to avoid deep punctures with the needle
and keep that needle tip visualized at all times
as we advance it down into the vein.
The second potential complication is inadvertent puncture
of the subclavian artery during the cannulation procedure.
Remember that the subclavian vein lies anterior
to the subclavian artery and we can actually identify
both structures prior to puncture attempts using ultrasound.
We can use color flow Doppler imaging to differentiate
the artery from the vein and as seen in the mini boxes
to the upper part of the video here,
we can see to the left the pulsations within
the subclavian artery and the venous hum to the right,
there, within the subclavian vein.
We want to aim that needle anteriorly at all times to avoid
the subclavian artery so as not to inadvertently puncture
it during the cannulation procedure.
So while it's important to discuss the potential
complications of this approach,
I feel that this is a great line in clinical use
and one that's actually better or safer for our patients
than the traditional blind landmark-based infraclavicular
approach to the subclavian vein.
So I hope it's something that you'll give a try in
the clinical areas using ultrasound guidance.
And I look forward to seeing you back in the future
as SoundBytes continues.

Brightcove ID

5508120186001

https://youtube.com/watch?v=I3Jqbxa1_Ts

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Case: Supraclavicular Approach to Subclavian Vein Cannulation

Case: Supraclavicular Approach to Subclavian Vein Cannulation

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