Point of care ultrasound in the maintenance of venous catheters Ultrassonografia point of care na manutenção de cateteres venosos

Abstract

Objective: to identify studies in the literature on the maintenance of venous catheters using Point Of Care Ultrasonography (POCUS). Method: This is an integrative literature review that covered six stages, which were consulted in the MEDLINE databases via Pubmed, Embase, SCOPUS, CINAHL, Web Of Science and LILACS. No time or language filters were applied. The search strategy was applied on October 6, 2023. Studies were included that address the use of Point of Care Ultrasonography (POCUS) in venous catheters in the clinical practice of infusion therapy, following the PRISMA guidelines. Results: thirteen articles were selected to make up the integrative review. Most studies (7-53%) used a POCUS for early detection of intracatheter thrombi. Other studies (4-30%) identified complications such as extravasation, obstruction and phlebitis. Ultrasonography was also used to visualize the permeability of the catheter with saline flushing, in addition to evaluating the specification of the veins for thrombus detection. Conclusion: new possibilities for using Point Of Care ultrasound in evaluating the maintenance of venous catheters were identified in the literature, which demonstrates that the technology has great applicability for Nursing practice and can contribute to more assertive and safe assistance.