Authors

Olga Rodrigo Pedrosa, Mª José Muñoz Blanco, Sonia García Morón, Julia García García

Position

Diplomadas en Enfermería. Hospitalización Pediátrica. Clínica Infantil Stauros.

Contact address

C/ Palamós nº 9, 4, 2. 08016 Barcelona.

Abstract

Objectives: To demonstrate that periphereal IV cannula insertion in the dorsum of the hand, presents fewer complications than those inserted in the brachial plexus.
Design: Observational prospective analysis using two cohorts (brachial plexus and dorsum of hand).
o Population: Children aged 1 to 19 years requiring peripheral IV cannula insertion.
The study was conducted at the Departments of Medicine and Paediatric Surgery of a children´s hospital and the period of study extended from december 2000 to march 2001, inclusive.
o Sample: 134 patients were included in the study using consecutive sampling.
o Instrumentation: A data collection pool was used that included the variables of age, gender, puncture site, limb dominance or non dominance, duration in hours without development of complications, and reasons for cannula discontinuation.
Results: A peripheral IV cannula was inserted in the dorsum of the hand of 70 patients (52,2%) and in the brachial plexus in 64 (47,8). Mean duration of the IV cannula insertion was 68,02 hours (2,8 days). Seventy three patients completed the treatment with no complications; 64,4 of these cannulas had been inserted in the dorsum of the hand vs 35,6% in the brachial plexus (p = 0,002). Of all the routes that had to be discontinued due to extravasation, 30,3% had been inserted in the dorsum of the hand, while a 69,7% had been inserted in the brachial plexus (p = 0,004). Mean duration of cannula insertion was 82,54 hours for school children, 55,96 hours for nursing infants and 81,62 hours for pre-school children (p = 0,000).
Conclusions: Peripheral IV cannula insertion in the dorsum of the hand presents fewer complications than those inserted in the brachial plexus. IV routes inserted in the brachial plexus are more prone to extravasation than those inserted in the dorsum of the hand. The group of nursing infants presents the higher incidence of complications in peripheral IV cannula insertion.

Keywords:

children's nursing; venous cannulas; anatomical site; paediatricscomplications

Versión en Español

Título:

Complicaciones de los catéteres venosos periféricos en los niños según su localización