Skip to main content
PMC home page
Postgraduate Medical Journal logoLink to Postgraduate Medical Journal
. 1999 Aug;75(886):459–462. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.75.886.459

Methods of obtaining peripheral venous access in difficult situations

D Mbamalu 1, A Banerjee 1
PMCID: PMC1741330  PMID: 10646021

Abstract

Peripheral venous access is frequently required in the hospital environment. This can occasionally be difficult to obtain. We have reviewed the pertinent literature and propose a structured algorithmic approach to reduce patient discomfort and to minimise the time involved in securing venous access.


Keywords: peripheral venous access; ultrasound; transillumination; venous cannulation

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (85.6 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Amsterdam J. T., Hedges J. R., Weinshenker E., Schwytzer D. J. Evaluation of venous distension device: phase II: cannulation of nonemergent patients. Am J Emerg Med. 1988 May;6(3):224–227. doi: 10.1016/0735-6757(88)90004-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cardella J. F., Fox P. S., Lawler J. B. Interventional radiologic placement of peripherally inserted central catheters. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 1993 Sep-Oct;4(5):653–660. doi: 10.1016/s1051-0443(93)71941-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Clutton-Brock T. H. Vascular access. How to set up a drip and keep it going. Br J Hosp Med. 1984 Oct;32(4):162, 164, 166-7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Crowley J. J., Pereira J. K., Harris L. S., Becker C. J. Peripherally inserted central catheters: experience in 523 children. Radiology. 1997 Sep;204(3):617–621. doi: 10.1148/radiology.204.3.9280234. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Datta S., Hanning C. D. How to insert a peripheral venous cannula. Br J Hosp Med. 1990 Jan;43(1):67–69. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Donaldson J. S., Morello F. P., Junewick J. J., O'Donovan J. C., Lim-Dunham J. Peripherally inserted central venous catheters: US-guided vascular access in pediatric patients. Radiology. 1995 Nov;197(2):542–544. doi: 10.1148/radiology.197.2.7480709. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hedges J. R., Weinshenker E., Dirksing R. Evaluation of venous distension device: potential aid for intravenous cannulation. Ann Emerg Med. 1986 May;15(5):540–543. doi: 10.1016/s0196-0644(86)80989-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Inwood S., Taylor C. F. Designing a nurse training programme for venepuncture. Nurs Stand. 1996 Feb 14;10(21):40–42. doi: 10.7748/ns.10.21.40.s49. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jaques P. F., Mauro M. A., Keefe B. US guidance for vascular access. Technical note. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 1992 May;3(2):427–430. doi: 10.1016/s1051-0443(92)72057-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Lumley J., Russell W. J. Insertion of central venous catheters through arm veins. Anaesth Intensive Care. 1975 May;3(2):101–104. doi: 10.1177/0310057X7500300203. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. McConnell A. A., Mackay G. M. Venepuncture: the medicolegal hazards. Postgrad Med J. 1996 Jan;72(843):23–24. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.72.843.23. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Michael A., Andrew M. The application of EMLA and glyceryl trinitrate ointment prior to venepuncture. Anaesth Intensive Care. 1996 Jun;24(3):360–364. doi: 10.1177/0310057X9602400310. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Roberge R. J., Kelly M., Evans T. C., Hobbs E., Sayre M., Cottington E. Facilitated intravenous access through local application of nitroglycerin ointment. Ann Emerg Med. 1987 May;16(5):546–549. doi: 10.1016/s0196-0644(87)80682-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Roberts G. H., Carson J. Venipuncture tips for radiologic technologists. Radiol Technol. 1993 Nov-Dec;65(2):107–115. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Sofocleous C. T., Schur I., Cooper S. G., Quintas J. C., Brody L., Shelin R. Sonographically guided placement of peripherally inserted central venous catheters: review of 355 procedures. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1998 Jun;170(6):1613–1616. doi: 10.2214/ajr.170.6.9609183. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Statter M. B. Peripheral and central venous access. Semin Pediatr Surg. 1992 Aug;1(3):181–187. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Stenzel J. P., Green T. P., Fuhrman B. P., Carlson P. E., Marchessault R. P. Percutaneous central venous catheterization in a pediatric intensive care unit: a survival analysis of complications. Crit Care Med. 1989 Oct;17(10):984–988. doi: 10.1097/00003246-198910000-00003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Tager I. B., Ginsberg M. B., Ellis S. E., Walsh N. E., Dupont I., Simchen E., Faich G. A. An epidemiologic study of the risks associated with peripheral intravenous catheters. Am J Epidemiol. 1983 Dec;118(6):839–851. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a113702. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Vaksmann G., Rey C., Breviere G. M., Smadja D., Dupuis C. Nitroglycerine ointment as aid to venous cannulation in children. J Pediatr. 1987 Jul;111(1):89–91. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(87)80350-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Whiteley M. S., Chang B. Y., Marsh H. P., Williams A. R., Manton H. C., Horrocks M. Use of hand-held Doppler to identify 'difficult' forearm veins for cannulation. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 1995 May;77(3):224–226. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Williams D. J., Bayliss R., Hinchliffe R. Surgical technique. Intravenous access: obtaining large-bore access in the shocked patient. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 1997 Nov;79(6):466–466. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Zimerman E. The Landry Vein Light: increasing venipuncture success rates. J Pediatr Nurs. 1991 Feb;6(1):64–66. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Postgraduate Medical Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES