Ultrasound for central venous, arterial and peripheral venous cannulation in the pediatric population

Adequate vascular access remains a key component of perioperative care. Various factors including obesity, prolonged hospitalizations, and associated co-morbid conditions can magnify problems with vascular access. Although used initially to facilitate central venous access, ultrasound is being used more commonly to facilitate arterial and even peripheral venous access. This practice has been facilitated by improvements in both the quality of the image and the portability of the equipment thereby allowing its easy movement throughout the operating room and beyond. The following article reviews the applications of ultrasound for routine and difficult central venous, arterial, and peripheral vascular cannulation in the pediatric population.