Comparison of three ultrasound-guided radial artery cannulation methods performed by anaesthesia residents: A prospective randomized controlled trial

Abstract

BackgroundTo compare the short-axis/out-of-plane (SAX), long-axis/in-plane (LAX) and oblique-axis/out-of-plane (OAX) approaches for radial artery catheterization performed by anaesthesia residents with limited experience.MethodsTwo hundred and sixteen adult patients were scheduled to undergo surgery requiring continuous arterial pressure monitoring. They were randomized to the SAX, LAX and OAX groups at a 1:1:1 ratio. Thirty-three anaesthesia residents performed the cannulation procedures. The operators received an explanation of the theoretical anatomy of the radial artery and the operating process of three approaches for ultrasound-guided cannulation of the radial artery and practised artery cannulation on a model of radial artery cannulation. The primary outcome was the success rate of cannulation, and the secondary outcomes included the first-attempt success rate in the model and patients, the imaging time, blood return time, cannulation time, total time and incidence of adverse events.ResultsThe success rate of radial artery cannulation in the SAX group was significantly higher than that in the LAX group (71.4% vs 49.2%; P=0.009) and was clinically meaningfully higher than that in the OAX group (71.4% vs 61.7%; P=0.229). The total time was shorter in the SAX group than in the LAX and OAX groups: 51 (59) s vs 113 (66) s vs 86 (61) s; P=0.000. The first-attempt success rate for the model did not differ among the three groups. In the patients, the first-attempt success rate in the SAX group was significantly higher than those in both the LAX and OAX groups (69.7% vs 24.2% vs 6.1%; P=0.000).ConclusionAnaesthesia residents can achieve a higher success rate, higher satisfaction rate and shorter procedure time by using the SAX approach than by using the LAX and OAX approaches for radial artery catheterization.Trial registrrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry,ChiCTR200030416. Registered 1 March 2020,http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=50193&htm=4