MedTrace Logo

Estimating Insertion Length of Umbilical Catheters in Newborn Infants

NCT03535311 · Status: COMPLETED · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 113

Last updated 2022-03-31

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Insertion Length of Umbilical Catheters

Umbilical catheters, inserted through the umbilical artery and vein of newborn babies at birth, are crucial in neonatal care of sick babies. They allow delivery of medication and fluids and to provide access for blood sampling and blood pressure monitoring. Incorrect positioning of the catheter tip due to under- or over-insertion length can lead to significant complications in newborn infants. Currently, several methods are used to estimate insertion length of umbilical catheters based on one of two beliefs; that the insertion length of the umbilical catheter is proportional to either the infant's birth weight or an external length measurement.

Several research studies have identified that existing methods often result in incorrect positioning of umbilical catheters, with studies showing a variable range of proportions of umbilical lines being correctly or incorrectly placed.

In particular, formulas for predicting umbilical venous catheter (UVC) length have been shown to be particularly unreliable.

The investigators propose a new observational study which uses a novel but easy-to-measure external length measurement, the sternal notch (upper end of breast-bone) to umbilicus (upper margin of belly-button) length, along with other clinical information to develop a more reliable formula for estimating the insertion length of umbilical venous and arterial catheters to an appropriate length.

Our study population will include newborn babies admitted to the neonatal unit requiring umbilical venous (UVC) and/or arterial catheterisation (UAC) over a two-year period. Demographic information will be recorded for each child and once position has been confirmed, the new external length will be measured. New formulae for estimating required insertion length will be developed using statistical (regression) analysis.

Conditions

  • Infant, Newborn, Diseases

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Measurement of sternal-notch to umbilicus distance

* The sternal notch to upper border of umbilicus length measurement in centimetres. * The length of the umbilical stump in centimetres. * The length of the UVC and/or UAC inserted in centimetres which will be identified using the printed markers on the catheter. The marker which is closest to the end of the umbilical stump will be the recorded value. * The length of the UVC and/or UAC in centimetres when the umbilical stump length is subtracted.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Cardiff University

    collaborator OTHER

  • Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

    lead OTHER_GOV

Eligibility

Max Age
1 Week
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2018-05-21
Primary Completion
2021-12-31
Completion
2021-12-31

Countries

  • United Kingdom

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03535311 on ClinicalTrials.gov