An unseen danger: Frequency of posterior vessel wall penetration by needles during attempts to place internal jugular vein central catheters using ultrasound guidance*

Abstract

In this study, residents accidentally penetrated the posterior vessel wall of the internal jugular in a lifelike vascular access mannequin in the majority of cases. These results suggest that care must be taken even with ultrasound-guided central catheter placement and that alternative ultrasound guidance techniques, such as visualization of the vein and needle in longitudinal axis, should be considered.