Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Factors affecting first try IV catheter success in emergency cats
By Okafor, Chika C et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2026·Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: EXPRESS: Effect of Vein Characteristics and Operator Experience on Intravenous Catheter Insertion Success in Cats in an Emergency Room.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A cat needing an intravenous catheter for treatment was successfully catheterized on the first attempt in 85.6% of cases. The study found that the visibility of the vein and the experience of the person inserting the catheter were key factors in achieving this success. Specifically, operators with more than 500 previous insertions and those with 8-15 years of experience had much higher success rates. This highlights the importance of having skilled veterinarians assess the veins properly and have ample experience when treating cats in emergency situations.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To identify patient, vein, and operator factors associated with first-attempt success of peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertion in cats presenting to an emergency room. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in the Emergency Room of a university small animal hospital from February to April 2024. Cats requiring PIVC insertion were enrolled. Data collected included patient signalment, vein visibility and palpability, catheter size, indication for catheterization, and operator characteristics (role, years of experience, and estimated number of previous PIVC insertions). First-attempt success was defined as catheterization with visible blood flashback and successful flushing without extravasation or discomfort. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess associations with first-attempt success. RESULTS: Ninety-seven PIVC insertions in 95 cats were analyzed. Overall, first-attempt success was 85.6% (83/97). Most insertions involved the cephalic vein (96.9%) and 22G catheters (57.7%). Neither catheter size, target vein, nor indication for insertion was significantly associated with success. Operators with 8-15 years of experience had significantly higher odds of success compared with those with ≤2 years (P = 0.03). Operators who had inserted >500 IVCs had greater odds of success than those with <100 insertions (OR 8.63; 95% CI 1.48-50.12; P = 0.02). Vein visibility was strongly associated with first-attempt success (OR 7.78; 95% CI 2.29-26.42; P = 0.001), while palpability was not. In the final multivariable model, both vein visibility (OR 8.0; 95% CI 2.16-30) and >500 prior insertions (OR 13.24; 95% CI 1.54-144) remained independently associated with success. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: First-attempt IVC success in cats is strongly influenced by operator experience and vein visibility. These findings highlight the clinical importance of operator training and vein assessment during catheter insertion in feline emergency patients.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41924971/