TY - JOUR
T1 - Venous air embolism from central venous catheterization
T2 - A need for increased physician awareness
AU - Wesley Ely, E.
AU - Duncan Hite, R.
AU - Baker, Albert M.
AU - Johnson, Margaret M.
AU - Bowton, David L.
AU - Haponik, Edward F.
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - Objectives: To report a series of patients with clinically diagnosed venous air embolism (VAE) and major sequelae as a complication of the use of central venous catheters (CVCs), to survey health care professionals' practices regarding CVCs, and to implement an educational intervention for optimizing approaches to CVC insertion and removal. Setting: Tertiary care, university-based 806-bed medical center. Interventions: We surveyed 140 physicians and 53 critical care nurses to appraise their awareness of the proper management and complications of CVCs. We then designed, delivered, and measured the effects of a multidisciplinary educational intervention given to 106 incoming house officers. Measurements and Main Results: Although most physicians (127, 91%) chose the Trendelenburg position for CVC insertion, only 42 physicians (30%) reported concern for VAE. On CVC removal, only 36 physicians (26%) cited concern for VAE. Some physicians (13, 9%) reported elevating the head of the bed during CVC removal, possibly increasing the risk of VAE. Awareness of VAE or its prevention did not correlate with the level of physician training, experience, or specialty. After the educational intervention, concern for and awareness of proper methods of prevention of VAE improved (p < .001). At 6-month follow-up, reported use of the Trendelenburg position continued, but concern cited for VAE had returned to baseline. Conclusions: There is inadequate awareness of VAE as a complication of CVC use. Focused instruction can improve appreciation of this potentially fatal complication and knowledge of its prevention, but the effect declines rapidly. To achieve a more sustained improvement, a more intensive, hands-on, periodic educational program will likely be necessary, as well as reinforcement through enhanced supervision of CVC insertion and removal practices.
AB - Objectives: To report a series of patients with clinically diagnosed venous air embolism (VAE) and major sequelae as a complication of the use of central venous catheters (CVCs), to survey health care professionals' practices regarding CVCs, and to implement an educational intervention for optimizing approaches to CVC insertion and removal. Setting: Tertiary care, university-based 806-bed medical center. Interventions: We surveyed 140 physicians and 53 critical care nurses to appraise their awareness of the proper management and complications of CVCs. We then designed, delivered, and measured the effects of a multidisciplinary educational intervention given to 106 incoming house officers. Measurements and Main Results: Although most physicians (127, 91%) chose the Trendelenburg position for CVC insertion, only 42 physicians (30%) reported concern for VAE. On CVC removal, only 36 physicians (26%) cited concern for VAE. Some physicians (13, 9%) reported elevating the head of the bed during CVC removal, possibly increasing the risk of VAE. Awareness of VAE or its prevention did not correlate with the level of physician training, experience, or specialty. After the educational intervention, concern for and awareness of proper methods of prevention of VAE improved (p < .001). At 6-month follow-up, reported use of the Trendelenburg position continued, but concern cited for VAE had returned to baseline. Conclusions: There is inadequate awareness of VAE as a complication of CVC use. Focused instruction can improve appreciation of this potentially fatal complication and knowledge of its prevention, but the effect declines rapidly. To achieve a more sustained improvement, a more intensive, hands-on, periodic educational program will likely be necessary, as well as reinforcement through enhanced supervision of CVC insertion and removal practices.
KW - Air
KW - Catheterization
KW - Central venous
KW - Critical care
KW - Education
KW - Embolism
KW - Medical
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U2 - 10.1097/00003246-199910000-00006
DO - 10.1097/00003246-199910000-00006
M3 - Article
C2 - 10548191
AN - SCOPUS:0032748983
SN - 0090-3493
VL - 27
SP - 2113
EP - 2117
JO - Critical care medicine
JF - Critical care medicine
IS - 10
ER -