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Vascular ultrasound in pediatrics: estimation of depth and diameter of jugular and femoral vessels

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Abstract

Objectives

To estimate, on the basis of anthropometric and demographic variables, the depth (Dp) and diameter (Dm) of femoral and jugular vessels, which have been located and measured by ultrasound, in pediatric patients.

Method

750 measurements of Dp and Dm of the femoral vein (FV), femoral artery (FA) and internal jugular vein (IJV) were made in 125 pediatric patients. The values were correlated with patients’ sex, weight, age, size and body surface area (BSA).

Results

Mean Dp values were 0.72 (0.34) cm for FA, 0.79 (0.35) cm for FV and 0.77 (0.24) cm for IJV. Mean antero-posterior Dm values were 0.37 (0.17) cm for FA, 0.42 (0.22) cm for FV and 0.59 (0.23) cm for IJV. In the studied pediatric patients, femoral and jugular vessels depth correlated with age, size, weight and BSA (R = 0.46–0.60); vascular depth could be estimated from patients’ weight and size (FA-Dp: R = 0.71; FV-Dp: R = 0.72; IJV-Dp: R = 0.53). Correlation with diameter was better for FA and FV (R = 0.81–0.89) than for IJV (R = 0.42–0.51); vascular diameter could be estimated from patient’s size (FA-Dm: R = 0.89; FV-Dm: R = 0.86; IJV-Dm: R = 0.52).

Conclusions

FV, FA and IJV depth and diameter correlated with weight, size, age and body surface area in the studied pediatric patients. Correlation was better for femoral than for jugular vessels. Depth could be estimated from patients’ weight and size, while diameter could be estimated from the size. Such estimations may facilitate the choice of vessels to be cannulated, length and diameter of cannulation needles and the diameter of catheters to be used in pediatric patients.

Sommario

Obiettivi

Calcolare in base a variabili antropometriche e demografiche, la profondita’ (P) e il diametro (D) dei vasi femorali e giugulari dei pazienti pediatrici in seguito alla loro localizzazione e misurazione ecografica.

Metodi

Sono state effettuatte 750 misurazioni della P e del D della vena femorale (VF), arteria femorale (AF) e della vena giugulare interna (VGI) in 125 pazienti pediatrici. I valori ottenuti sono stati relazionati con il sesso, il peso, l’eta’, l’altezza e la superficie corporea.

Risultati

La P media dell’ AF (PAF) è risultata di 0.72 (0.34) cm, quella della VF (PVF) di 0.79 (0.35) cm e quella della VGI (PVGI) di 0.77 (0.24) cm. Il D anteroposteriore medio dell’ AF (DAF) fu di 0.37 (0.17) cm, quello della VF (DVF) èrisultato di 0.42 (0.22) cm e quello della VGI (DVGI) di 0.59 (0.23) cm. Nei pazienti pediatrici analizzati, è stata riscontrata una relazione tra i parametri di eta’, peso, altezza e superficie corporea e quelli della profondita’ dei vasi femorali e giugulari (R = 0.46–0.60), che pùo essere stimata secondo peso e altezza (PAF: R = 0.71; PVF: R = 0.72; PVGI R = 0.53). La relazione con il diametro vascolare è risultata maggiore per l’ AF e la VF (R = 0.81–0.89) e piu’ bassa per la VGI (R = 0.42–0.51), che può essere stimata in base all’altezza del paziente (DAF: R = 0.89; DVF: R = 0.86; DVGI: R = 0.52).

Conclusioni

La profondita’ e il diametro della VF, dell’AF e della VGI si possono relazionare al peso, altezza, eta’ e superficie corporea nei pazienti pediatrici del nostro studio. Questa relazione e’ maggiore per i vasi femorali rispetto ai vasi giugulari, rendendo possibile il calcolo della loro profondita’ in base al peso e all’altezza e il calcolo del loro diametro vascolare in base all’altezza. Questi calcoli possono essere utili per la scelta adeguata del vaso da canalizzare, per la scelta del tipo e del calibro dell’ago e del catetere da usare nei pazienti pediatrici.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Intensive Pediatric Medicine, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil de Canarias (Mother and Child University Hospital of Canarias), Las Palmas, Spain

    J. M. López Álvarez & O. Pérez Quevedo

  2. Service of Intensive Medicine, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil de Canarias (Mother and Child University Hospital of Canarias), Las Palmas, Spain

    L. Santana Cabrera & C. Rodríguez Escot

  3. Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Las Palmas de GC, Las Palmas, Spain

    J. F. Loro Ferrer

  4. Department of Biostatistics. Unit for Support of Research, University of Las Palmas de GC, Las Palmas, Spain

    T. Ramírez Lorenzo & J. M. Limiñana Cañal

Authors
  1. J. M. López Álvarez
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  2. O. Pérez Quevedo
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  3. L. Santana Cabrera
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  4. C. Rodríguez Escot
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  5. J. F. Loro Ferrer
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  6. T. Ramírez Lorenzo
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  7. J. M. Limiñana Cañal
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. M. López Álvarez.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest in relation with this study.

Ethical approval

The study protocol followed the basic principles of the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethical Committee of Clinical Trials of our Hospital.

Informed consent

Informed consent was requested from patients’ parents or legal representatives.

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López Álvarez, J.M., Pérez Quevedo, O., Santana Cabrera, L. et al. Vascular ultrasound in pediatrics: estimation of depth and diameter of jugular and femoral vessels. J Ultrasound 20, 285–292 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40477-017-0272-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40477-017-0272-3

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