Time required and success rate of percutaneous right atrial catheterization: description of a technique.

The use of an intracardiac catheter is considered useful in the diagnosis of air embolism during surgical operations. Under electrocardiographic (ECG) control a right atrial catheter was placed through the right antecubital (basilic) vein in 200 patients undergoing posterior fossa or cervical operations in the sitting position. The overall success rate for this technique was 97 per cent. Half were successfully placed within five minutes, and 92 per cent within 15 minutes.