J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2018 Dec;29(6):641-648. 10.0000/jksem.2018.29.6.641.

Prediction of air inflow during central venous catheter insertion: experimental study

• Jung HJ
• Kim YW
• Park CM
• Park CH
• Kang JH
• Yoon YS

• KMID: 2432054
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/jksem.2018.29.6.641

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This study examined the incidence and amount of air inflow during central venous catheter (CVC) insertion.
METHODS
This study was an experimental study aimed at designing an apparatus to implement blood vessel and blood flow in the human body. A 1.5-m long core tube with a Teflon tube, suction rubber tube, and polyvinyl chloride tube were made. This core tube was assumed to be the blood vessel of the human body. Blood was replaced with a saline solution. The saline solution was placed higher than the core tube and flowed into the inside of the tube by gravity. The CVC was injected 15-cm deep into the core tube. The air was collected through a 3-way valve into the upper tube. The experiments were carried out by differentiating the pressure in the tube, CVC insertion step, and diameter of the end of the catheter. The experiment was repeated 10 times under the same conditions.
RESULTS
The amount of air decreased with increasing pressure applied to the tube. Air was not generated when the syringe needle was injected, and the amount of air increased with increasing size of the distal end catheter.
CONCLUSION
To minimize the possibility of air embolism, it is necessary to close the distal end catheter at the earliest point as soon as possible.

Keyword

Central venous catheters; Embolim; Air; Jugular veins

MeSH Terms

Blood Vessels
Catheters
Central Venous Catheters*
Embolism, Air
Gravitation
Human Body
Incidence
Jugular Veins
Needles
Polytetrafluoroethylene
Polyvinyl Chloride
Rubber
Sodium Chloride
Suction
Syringes
Polytetrafluoroethylene
Polyvinyl Chloride
Rubber
Sodium Chloride