ARTERIAL LINES

Course overview

ARTERIAL CATHETERIZATION IS A FREQUENT PROCEDURE IN INTENSIVE CARE SETTINGS AND THE OPERATING ROOM. THIS PROCEDURE INVOLVES THE PLACEMENT OF A CATHETER INTO THE LUMEN OF A PERIPHERAL ARTERY TO FACILITATE HEMODYNAMIC MONITORING AND ARTERIAL BLOOD SAMPLING. ARTERIAL CATHETERIZATION CAN BE ACHIEVED VIA MULTIPLE ANATOMICAL SITES; EACH HAS RISKS AND BENEFITS. HOWEVER, PRACTITIONERS MUST BE MINDFUL OF PROCEDURAL INDICATIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS, THE PROPER PREPARATION OF EQUIPMENT AND PERSONNEL, AND BE SKILLED IN INSERTION TECHNIQUES. AS WITH ALL INVASIVE PROCEDURES, ARTERIAL CATHETERIZATION MAY PRESENT COMPLICATIONS, AND PERSONNEL MUST BE READY TO INTERVENE PROMPTLY TO PREVENT UNNECESSARY HARM TO THE PATIENT. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PERTINENT ANATOMY, INDICATIONS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, COMPLICATIONS, AND TECHNIQUES FOR ARTERIAL CATHETERIZATION AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ENSURING SAFE ACCESS TO IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOMES.