Seldinger Technique

The Seldinger Technique is a medical procedure used to insert a tube into an artery, gaining access to a patient's bloodstream.

Origin

• Dr. Sven-Ivar Seldinger was the first to use this procedure in 1953. He wrote a paper explaining his new technique, and it soon became a popular medical procedure.

Technique

• First, local anesthetic is applied to the area where the insertion will take place. The clinician makes a minor incision in the skin and punctures the artery with a thin needle. After removing the needle, a flexible wire is placed into the artery and advanced a few centimeters deep into the bloodstream. The clinician slides a catheter or thin tube over the guide wire and positions the tube in the correct location and angle. The wire may now be removed, leaving the catheter inside the artery until the procedure is complete.

Applications

• Now that the clinician has safely and quickly gained access to the arterial system, several procedures can be performed. The most common usage is an angiography, in which dye is inserted into the artery. Visualizing this dye on a radio-sensitive monitor, the physician can study the blood flow of the arteries, veins and capillaries. This allows the physician to observe constricted or dilated blood flow to specific areas. The Seldinger technique can also be used to drain chest fluid, bring nutrients directly to the stomach and other minor invasive procedures.

Risks

• The Seldinger technique is a routine and safe procedure. Possible rare complications include infection and loss of the guide wire inside the patient. Both of these risks are very minor and preventable.