Placement of Peripherally Inserted Central Venous Catheters (PICC) in Children Guided by Ultrasound

Introduction: Peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICC) are increasingly being used to intravenous therapy in a wide variety of adults and pediatrics patients. Children may have characteristics that could compromise the assertiveness during the catheter placement, even for the more experienced and qualified professionals. In order to search for methods that could lead to the nursing practice innovation seeking for better results in the placement of PICC, this study was designed to analyze the use of Doppler vascular ultrasound (DVUS) to PICC insertion performed by nurses. Objective: To compare the success in the peripheral intravenous puncture (PIP), progression and placement of PICC in children, according to the use of DVUS or traditional method; to identify the influence of the DUVS in the time expended to the placement of PICC in children. Methods: Clinical, randomized and controlled trial conducted in a pediatric surgery ward of a university hospital, from August 17th, 2007 to August 19th, 2008, after ethical merits of research endorsement and the obtaining of consent for those responsible for the children. The sample, calculated in 42 PICC to obtain a power of 0,85, was distributed randomly into two groups, experimental group (EG) and controlled group (CG). The dependent variables were: the success in the PIP, catheter progression and placement. Variables related to children and IV therapy was investigated. To the statistical analyzes Pearson Chi-square, Fisher's Exact Tests, Generalization of Fischer's Exact and Mann-Whitney tests was applied (significance level of 5%). Results: Of the 42 catheters, 21 (50.0%) were implemented in EG and 21 (50.0%) in CG. The PIP was obtained in the first attempt in 90.5% of the punctures of the EG and in 47.6% of the GC, (p=0.003)and the punctures were accomplished to catheter insertion, despite the number of attempts in 76.5% of EG and 41.7% in GC (p = 0.001). The successful to PICC progression was marginally significant result (p=0.069), 69.2% in EG and 44.0% in CG. PICC were implanted successfully in 18 (85.7%) children of GE and 11 (61.1%) of CG (p = 0.019). The median of the time spent to the procedure was significantly higher (p=0.001) in CG (50 minutes) when compared to EG (median 20 minutes). Conclusion: The results obtained lead to the conclusion that the use of USVD to the implementation of the PICC in children promoted greater success in the PIP and in PICC placement, reducing of the time spent to the procedure, but no significant influence was observed regarding the catheter progression.