Premature newborn after placement of two umbilical arterial catheters

Cardiovascular
AXR of umbilical arterial catheter malposition
Supine and cross-table lateral AXR shows the tip of one umbilical arterial catheter to be at T6 and the tip of the other umbilical arterial catheter to be at L1. Note on these images how after insertion at the umbilicus the umbilical arterial catheters first head caudad in the umbilical artery and internal iliac artery before heading cephalad in the common iliac artery and aorta. There is faint ground-glass opacity in the lungs.

The diagnosis was normal position (at T6) and low malposition (at L1) of the umbilical arterial catheters in a patient with respiratory distress syndrome.

Published