"Liquid stylet" for percutaneous radial artery cannulation.

Radial artery catheterization in elderly patients may be difficult. The "liquid stylet" created by slow intra-arterial fluid injection facilitates insertion of arterial cannulae, and proved effective in 14 consecutive patients in whom percutaneous radial artery catheterization was otherwise unsuccessful. This technique is useful when difficulty in radial artery cannulation is encountered.