Abstract: Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of new intravenous Electrocardiogram (ECG) guidance to confirm accurate positioning of central venous catheters (CVC). Methods 80 patients were divided into two groups by the CVC pathway: internal jugular vein group(Group 1, n=40) and right subclavian vein group (G2, n=40), and CVC placed using right-atrial ECG to guide catheter tip positioning. The depth of the CVC, central venous pressure (CVP)，and CVC related complications were recorded during the observation. RESULTS The frequency of emergence of the typical P-wave were 98.7% (77/78). The depth of the catheter placed with the ECG guidance was significantly shorter than the estimated value by the traditional formula. Conclusions ECG guidance allows for more accurate CVC placement, and should be considered to increase patient safety and reduce costs associated with repositioning procedures.

Key words: Central venous catheterization, Electrocardiogram, Complication